(Updated 03/04/2023)
What is ESA?
You might be able to get Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if you have difficulty working because you’re sick or disabled. This is called having 'limited capability for work'.
You can get ESA at the same time as other benefits like Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
You can’t usually get ESA at the same time as Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) or Income Support.
If you’re employed but you can’t work, you’ll usually get Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from your employer for 28 weeks. You can’t get SSP and ESA at the same time, but you can start your ESA claim up to 3 months before your SSP ends. It’s worth claiming ESA early so your payments start as soon as possible.
You can get ESA if you’re self-employed - the application process is the same.
To claim ESA you must:
- be aged 16 or over
- be under State Pension age – check your State Pension age on GOV.UK
- live in England, Wales or Scotland
You can only do a limited amount of work while you get ESA – check what work you can do while getting ESA.
Check what type of ESA you can claim
The type of ESA that most people can claim is called 'new style' ESA.
There are 2 old types of ESA, which some people are still getting - they’re called ‘income-based ESA’ and ‘contribution-based ESA’.
If you’re already getting contribution-based ESA, you might be able to add income-based ESA to it. This could mean you’ll get more money.
You can't make a new claim for contribution-based ESA.
If you’ve been getting a severe disability premium (SDP), you can apply for new style ESA.
If you should have been getting an SDP but it’s not included in your benefits, talk to an adviser.
For more information please click here
