What is Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)? Am I eligible? Can I earn this benefit if I am disabled? If a disability is impacting your ability to work, you could be eligible for this benefit. This Your Benefits article will tell you everything you need to know about ESA.
What is Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)?
The Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is a benefit for people whose ability to work is impacted by a sickness or disability. Recipients must be over 16 years old and under State Pension age. The benefit may also be earned by people who had to self-isolate because of coronavirus (COVID-19) in England and Wales.
If you have limited capability for work, the ESA will provide you with money to go towards your living costs. If you are able to work, the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) will give you support to find some. You may apply to ESA regardless of your employment status.
Can I get Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)?
You may qualify claiming ESA (Employment and Support Allowance) if your ability to work is affected by a disability or health condition. Furthermore, you may new claim new style ESA if you are eligible. You must be under State Pension age, have your ability to work be impacted by a disability or health condition, and also need to fulfill both the following conditions:
- You were self-employed or have worked as an employee;
- Have made enough National Insurance contributions (typically within the last 2 to 3 years, and National Insurance credits may also count towards this);
If you were unable to work while self-isolated because of the coronavirus, you might also be eligible for ESA. “Permitted work” will not affect your eligibility for the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). Permitted work includes:
- Volunteer work;
- Work that amounts to less than 16 hours a week on average and for which you earn up to £143 a week;
- Work that is part of a treatment programme or is supervised by someone from a voluntary organisation or local council. The pay must be up to £143 a week;
- Work where you earn up to £143 a week, if you are exempt from personal capability assessment.
Can I get other benefits with Employment and Support Allowance?
In terms of premiums, if you receive ESA, you can only earn severe or enhanced disability premiums.
If your Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is ending, you may apply up to 3 months beforehand. If you do so in time and are eligible, there won’t be a gap in your benefits. You will start getting ‘new style’ Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) as soon as you are no longer paid SSP.
Both Severe Disablement Allowance and Incapacity Benefit were replaced with Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). To earn the ESA, Jobcentre Plus will reassess your allowance claim to see if you are able to work, or qualify for the benefit.
Note that you do not need to provide a vat number if you want to claim benefits like Housing Benefit.
How much is ESA?
If you are judged as eligible, you may be put in one of two groups. You will be placed in the work-related activity group if you are able to work in the future. If you are not, you will be placed in the support group.
Here is how much money you may receive weekly. You will be paid every 2 weeks:
| Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) amount by group in 2022 | |
|---|---|
| ESA Group | Possible maximum weekly amount |
| Work-related activity group | £74.70 |
| Support group | £114.10 |
You might be eligible to receive enhanced or severe disability premium. For this, you must be in the support group and on income-related ESA. How much you may receive from Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) depends on multiple factors. This includes your age, stage of your application, and ability to work again.
Receiving ‘new style’ ESA will grant you another benefit. You will earn Class 1 National Insurance credits. These can aid towards your State Pension and other benefits.
Does income affect ESA?
Income and savings will not affect the amount of ‘new style’ ESA you receive. This is true for both you and your partner. However, a private pension may. Specifically, if the weekly amount exceeds £85, it may affect how much ESA you can receive.
For income-related ESA, income and savings may impact how much of the benefit you receive. Specifically, this is of both of them amount to more than £6,000.
What am I entitled to while my claim is assessed?
You are typically entitled to the ‘assessment rate’. You may receive it for 13 weeks during the assessment of your claim.
| ESA Assessment rates in 2022 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Age | Under 25 years old | 25 years old and over |
| Maximum possible weekly amount | £59.20 | £74.70 |
In case that your claim takes longer than 13 weeks, you will keep receiving the assessment rate. This will continue either until you receive a decision, or your Employment and Support Allowance is set to end. If you are owed money after 13 weeks, your claim will be backdated.
How do I apply for ESA?
You will require the following:
- Your National Insurance number;
- Your income details (if you work);
- Doctor’s information (name, address and telephone number);
- Your Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) end date (if you are claiming it);
- Your bank or building society account number and sort code (you can use a friend or loved one’s account if you do not own one).
You also need to provide a fit note (also called “sick note” or “statement of fitness for work”). The note needs to cover the dates between 17 December 2021 and 26 January 2022. Your doctor cannot provide one for you. Then, you will be contacted by phone for when and where to send the evidence required.
Do I qualify for ESA with COVID?
You can apply for ‘new style’ ESA if you both cannot claim Statutory Sick Pay and one of the following applies to your situation:
- Either you or your child have had Covid-19 or are recovering from it;
- Either you or your child came into contact with someone possibly having Covid-19, and are you are now self-isolating;
- You were recommended to self-isolate by a healthcare professional or your doctor before surgery;
- You are returning from abroad and relevant policy is requiring you to quarantine.
Furthermore, you will need to provide evidence for your claims if you apply for ESA for the following reasons.
You will need to provide:
- An “isolation note” if you cannot work because of Covid-19;
- An official notification (from the NHS or public health authorities) if you were recommended to self-isolate following contact with someone diagnosed with Covid-19;
- A letter with the date of your surgery, if you were recommended to isolate before it;
- Travel information if your reason for self-isolation is a recent return from abroad.
How will my Severe Disablement Allowance claim be reassessed?
Jobcentre Plus will send you a questionnaire to see how your illness or disability affects your everyday life. You will need to:
- Complete and return the questionnaire before or on the deadline. Any included relevant medical reports or letters will be returned to you;
- Jobcentre Plus will let you know if you will need to attend a face-to-face Work Capability Assessment;
- If you are deemed capable of working, your Severe Disablement Allowance will stop. Jobcentre Plus will discuss with you what to do next, including claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance;
- If the reassessment shows that you cannot work, you automatically qualify and will be transferred to Employment and Support Allowance.
What should I do if my circumstances change?
You must report any changes of circumstances straight away. If you fail to do so, your claim stop or be reduced. A change of circumstances can involve location, personal information, your personal situation and more. It includes:
- Any change or evolution to your medical condition or disability;
- Being treated in a hospital, or moving into a care home or sheltered accommodation;
- Going abroad (this does not only apply if you are moving, but leaving for any amount of time);
- A change of address;
- A name change;
- Ending or starting work, your education, a training or an apprenticeship;
- Someone new moving in our out of your home (this may be a child, partner, family member, or other);
- A change in the benefits that either you or someone else receive in your household;
- Change in your property, investments, savings or pension;
- A change to the money that you receive or earn (this may include: student loans and grants, sick pay, money given by a charity…);
- Changing your doctor;
- A change in your immigration status.
If you need help, you may look for it on the Your Benefits or Citizens Advice website. It is a registered charity, and not a company limited by guarantee. On the website, you may skip to navigation, skip to content.
