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You can apply for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if you have a disability or health condition that affects how much you can work.

ESA gives you:

• money to help with living costs if you鈥檙e unable to work
• support to get back into work if you鈥檙e able to

You can apply if you鈥檙e employed, self-employed or unemployed.

You can apply for New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if you鈥檙e under State Pension age and you have a disability or health condition that affects how much you can work.

You also need to have both:

• worked as an employee or have been self-employed
• paid enough National Insurance contributions, usually in the last 2 to 3 years - National Insurance credits also count

Check your National Insurance record for gaps.

Claiming Universal Credit and New Style ESA

You might be able to get Universal Credit at the same time or instead of New Style ESA.

If you get both benefits, your Universal Credit payment is reduced by the amount you get for New Style ESA.

Your New Style ESA will usually be paid more regularly than Universal Credit. You鈥檒l also get different National Insurance credits which count towards your State Pension and help you qualify for other benefits.

Check if you鈥檙e eligible for Universal Credit.

If your Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is due to end

You can apply for New Style ESA up to 3 months before your SSP ends. You鈥檒l start getting New Style ESA as soon as your SSP ends.

If you鈥檙e working

You can apply whether you鈥檙e in or out of work. There are conditions to working while claiming ESA.

How much you get will depend on what stage your application is at, as well as things like your age and whether you鈥檙e able to get back into work.

If you get New Style ESA you鈥檒l earn Class 1 National Insurance credits, which can help towards your State Pension and some benefits in the future.

What might affect how much you get paid

If you get New Style ESA

Your payments will be affected if you get more than 拢85 a week from a private pension. If you do, half of your private pension income over 拢85 will be subtracted from your ESA payments each week.

For example, if you get 拢100 a week from a private pension, then 拢7.50 will be subtracted from your ESA payment each week.

If your private pension income is high enough, you could get no ESA payments. You would still get Class 1 National Insurance credits.

If you get income-related ESA

Your household income and savings worth 拢6,000 or more may affect how much you can get.

While your claim is being assessed

You鈥檒l normally get the 鈥榓ssessment rate鈥� for 13 weeks while your claim is being assessed.

This will be:

• up to 拢71.70 a week if you鈥檙e aged under 25
• up to 拢90.50 a week if you鈥檙e aged 25 or over

If it takes longer than 13 weeks to assess your claim, you鈥檒l continue getting the 鈥榓ssessment rate鈥� until you get a decision or until your ESA is due to end.

Your ESA will be backdated if you鈥檙e owed any money after 13 weeks.

After you鈥檙e assessed

You鈥檒l be placed into one of 2 groups if you鈥檙e entitled to ESA. If you鈥檙e able to get back into work in the future, you鈥檒l be put into the work-related activity group. Otherwise, you鈥檒l be put into the support group.

If you鈥檙e nearing the end of life, you鈥檒l be put into the support group.

You鈥檒l get:

• up to 拢90.50 a week if you鈥檙e in the work-related activity group
• up to 拢138.20 a week if you鈥檙e in the support group

If you鈥檙e in the support group

If you鈥檙e in the support group and on income-related ESA, you鈥檙e also entitled to the enhanced disability premium.

You may also qualify for the severe disability premium.

Find out how to apply for a disability premium.

How and when you鈥檙e paid

You鈥檒l get paid ESA every 2 weeks.

Find out how and when your benefits are paid.

Other benefits you can claim

You could get Universal Credit at the same time or instead of New Style ESA. Check if you鈥檙e eligible for Universal Credit.

Use a benefits calculator to find out what other benefits you could get, for example Personal Independence Payment (PIP) if you have a long-term health condition or disability.

The benefit cap may affect the total amount of benefit you can get. The cap will not affect you if you鈥檙e in the support group.

If you鈥檙e moving to Universal Credit from income-related ESA

If your income-related ESA claim is ending because you鈥檙e making a new claim for Universal Credit, you鈥檒l automatically continue to get the amount of ESA you currently receive, as long as you鈥檙e still eligible. You鈥檒l normally get this for 2 weeks, starting from the date of your new claim.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will write to you telling you how this works.

Budgeting Loan

You can apply for a Budgeting Loan if you鈥檝e been on income-related ESA for at least 6 months.

Advice on money and debt

You can get help and advice from your Jobcentre Plus work coach or:

You can usually work while you are claiming ESA if both of the following apply:

• you work less than 16 hours a week
• you do not earn more than 拢183.50 a week

You can do as many hours of voluntary work as you like.

Tell Jobcentre Plus about your work including any volunteering when you make a claim.

If you鈥檙e already claiming ESA and want to start work, fill in the ESA permitted work form. Send the form to Jobcentre Plus.

You could get Universal Credit at the same time or instead of New Style ESA. Check if you鈥檙e eligible for Universal Credit.

There鈥檚 a different way to apply:听

• if you鈥檙e nearing the end of life (for example, due to a life-limiting illness)

What you need to apply

You鈥檒l need:

• your National Insurance number
• your bank or building society account number and sort code (you can use a friend or family member鈥檚 account if you do not have one)
• your doctor鈥檚 name, address and telephone number
• a fit note (sometimes called a 鈥榮ick note鈥� or a 鈥榮tatement of fitness for work鈥�) if you鈥檝e not been able to work for more than 7 days in a row because of a disability or health condition
• details of your income, if you鈥檙e working
• the date your Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) ends, if you鈥檙e claiming it

Apply online for ESA

Once you鈥檝e applied, you鈥檒l be contacted by phone and told when to give the evidence and where to send it.

When you can apply by phone

Call the Jobcentre Plus new claims helpline if:

• you cannot make an application online
• you鈥檙e an appointee for someone

After you apply

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will contact you within 10 working days of applying.

If you鈥檙e eligible

DWP will contact you within 10 working days to schedule an appointment that you must attend. It will normally be over the phone with a work coach from your local Jobcentre Plus office. If your appointment is in-person at a Jobcentre Plus office, you鈥檒l need to bring ID and proof of address.

Your work coach will explain what you need to do to get New Style ESA. They will create an agreement with you called a 鈥楥laimant Commitment鈥�.

You must agree to your Claimant Commitment before you can get New Style ESA.

At the appointment, you鈥檒l be asked to:

• explain how your illness or disability affects your ability to work
• provide medical evidence
• agree to tell your local Jobcentre Plus if your circumstances change

If you鈥檙e not eligible

DWP will send you a letter within 10 working days of applying to explain why you鈥檙e not eligible for ESA.

If you disagree with a decision

You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for 鈥榤andatory reconsideration鈥�.

Reapplying for ESA

You may be able to reapply after your New Style ESA ends. You may qualify again depending on:

• what National Insurance contributions you paid in the last 2 full tax years before the tax year you鈥檙e claiming in
• whether you鈥檙e placed in the support group because you developed a new condition or your health deteriorated

After you鈥檝e made your claim, you鈥檒l be told if you need to have a 鈥榃ork Capability Assessment鈥� and what group you鈥檒l be put in.

Work Capability Assessment

A Work Capability Assessment is used to find out if your illness or disability affects how much you can work.

You might not need one, for example if you鈥檙e in hospital or you鈥檙e nearing the end of life.

If you need a Work Capability Assessment you鈥檒l get a letter telling you to fill in the 鈥楥apability for work questionnaire鈥� and send it to the Health Assessment Advisory Service. The address is on the form. There is a .

You鈥檒l be told what happens next, for example if you need an appointment to understand your health condition better.

If you鈥檙e claiming both Universal Credit and New Style ESA, you鈥檒l only have one Work Capability Assessment.

You can ask for your assessment to be recorded. If you would like this, tell the Health Assessment Advisory Service using the contact details in your appointment invite letter.

How the assessment happens

Assessments can be in person, by video call or on the phone. You鈥檒l be told how your assessment will take place.

You can have someone else with you at the assessment, such as a friend or support worker. If your assessment is by phone or video call, you can ask the assessor to call them if they鈥檙e not with you when the assessment starts.

You鈥檒l stay on the 鈥榓ssessment rate鈥� until a decision can be made on your Work Capability Assessment.

After your claim is assessed

If you鈥檙e entitled to ESA you鈥檒l be placed in one of 2 groups:

• a work-related activity group (you cannot work now, but can prepare to work in the future, for example by writing a CV)
• a support group (you cannot work now and you鈥檙e not expected to prepare for work in the future)

You will:

• usually be in the support group if your illness or disability severely limits what you can do
• be in the support group if you鈥檙e nearing the end of life

If you鈥檙e in the work-related activity group

You must attend regular interviews with a work coach. They can help you improve your skills or write a CV to help you get back into work.

If you鈥檙e in the support group

You do not have to go to interviews. You can tell your work coach if you鈥檇 like to take part in work-related activities.

How long you鈥檒l get ESA for

New Style and contribution-based ESA last for 365 days if you鈥檙e in the work-related activity group.

There鈥檚 no time limit if you鈥檙e in the support group, or if you鈥檙e getting income-related ESA.

To keep getting ESA you must report any change in your circumstances. You may also need to send fit notes regularly.

If you get a sanction

Your ESA can be reduced if you do not attend interviews or do work-related activity as agreed with your work coach in your 鈥楥laimant Commitment鈥�. This reduction can continue for up to 4 weeks after you restart work-related activities.

You鈥檒l get a letter to say you may be sanctioned. Tell your work coach if you have a good reason for not doing what was agreed in your Claimant Commitment.

You鈥檒l get another letter if the decision is made to give you a sanction. Your benefit will only be affected once a decision has been made.

You should contact your local council immediately if you claim Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction. They鈥檒l tell you what to do to continue getting support.

If you get a sanction you can:

• ask for the decision to be looked at again
• ask for a hardship payment

You will not get a sanction if you鈥檙e in the support group.

Hardship payments

If you get income-related ESA, you may be able to get a hardship payment if your benefit has been reduced because of a sanction or a penalty due to suspected benefit fraud.

A hardship payment is a reduced amount of your ESA. You do not have to pay it back.

You can get a hardship payment if you cannot pay for rent, heating, food or other basic needs for you or your family. You must be 18 or over.

Speak to your Jobcentre Plus adviser or work coach to find out how to claim a hardship payment.

You must report changes to your circumstances so you keep getting the right amount of ESA. The amount you get could go up or down.

Your benefit might be stopped or reduced if you do not report a change straight away.

What you need to report

This list does not cover every change you must report. Call Jobcentre Plus if you鈥檙e not sure whether you need to report a change.

Changes to personal details

You must report if you:

• change your bank details
• change your telephone number
• have someone start or stop living with you

You must report if you or anyone who lives with you has a change in immigration status, if you or they are not a British citizen.

You must report if you, anyone who lives with you, or your husband, wife or civil partner:

• changes name
• changes address
• leaves Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) for any period of time
• gets married or forms a civil partnership
• gets divorced or ends a civil partnership
• has a baby or gets pregnant
• goes into prison or legal custody

Changes to a medical condition or disability

You must report if you or someone included on your claim:

• has any changes to a medical condition or disability
• goes into hospital, a care home or sheltered accommodation
• changes doctor
• starts or stops caring for someone

Changes to work or education

You must report if you, anyone who lives with you, or your husband, wife or civil partner:

• starts or stops education, training or an apprenticeship
• finds or leaves a job, or starts working different hours
• is involved in a trade dispute, or is unable to work because of a trade dispute (for example, if there鈥檚 a strike)

Changes to income and benefits

You must report if you or anyone who lives with you:

• has a change to their salary or earnings from work
• gets paid back-pay (sometimes called 鈥榓rrears鈥�) for their salary or earnings from work
• starts or stops getting a benefit or a pension
• starts or stops getting any other regular source of money (for example, student loans or grants, sick pay, or money from a charity)
• has a change to the amount of money they get from a benefit, a pension or any other regular source of money

You must also report if anyone caring for you starts or stops getting:

• Carer鈥檚 Allowance
• Carer Support Payment
• the carer element of Universal Credit

Changes to assets

Assets are things like:

• savings or investments
• property
• one-off payments (for example, money from inheritance or a lump sum payment)

You must report if you and anyone who lives with you starts or stops having 拢6,000 or more in total assets between you.

If you already have over 拢6,000 in total assets between you, you must report any increase or decrease to the value of those assets.

If you鈥檝e been paid too much

If you give wrong or incomplete information or do not report a change straight away, you might be paid too much. If you are, you might have to听pay some of the money back.

How to report

You can report a change of circumstances by:

• calling Jobcentre Plus
• writing to the Jobcentre Plus office that pays your ESA - the address is on the letters you get about your ESA

If you鈥檙e nearing the end of life (for example, due to a life-limiting illness) you might be able to get Employment Support Allowance (ESA) more quickly and at a higher rate.听

This is sometimes called 鈥榮pecial rules for end of life鈥�.

You may be able to get other benefits if you鈥檙e nearing the end of life.

Eligibility

You鈥檙e usually eligible if:

• you鈥檙e under State Pension age
• you鈥檝e worked as an employee or have been self-employed
• you鈥檝e paid enough National Insurance contributions, usually in the last 2 to 3 years
• your doctor or medical professional has said that you might have 12 months or less to live

It can be difficult to predict how long someone might live for. If a medical professional has not talked to you about this, you can still ask them to support your claim under the special rules for end of life.

You cannot get ESA if you claim Jobseeker鈥檚 Allowance (JSA) or Statutory Sick Pay

What you鈥檒l get

You鈥檒l normally get the 鈥榓ssessment rate鈥� while your claim is being assessed.听

This will be:

• up to 拢71.70 a week if you鈥檙e aged under 25
• up to 拢90.50 a week if you鈥檙e aged 25 or over

After you鈥檙e assessed, you鈥檒l get up to 拢138.20 a week. You may also be eligible for the disability premium.

You鈥檒l get paid ESA every 2 weeks.

How to claim

Ask a medical professional for form SR1. They鈥檒l either fill it in and give the form to you or send it directly to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Apply for ESA online.

Call the Jobcentre Plus new claims helpline if:

• you cannot make an application online
• you鈥檙e applying as an appointee on someone else鈥檚 behalf

After you apply

DWP will contact you within 10 working days of applying.

You will not need to attend an appointment or make a Claimant Commitment.

If you already get ESA

Ask a medical professional for form SR1. They鈥檒l either fill it in and give the form to you or send it directly to DWP.

Report the change by calling Jobcentre Plus.