Who Can Claim ESA?

You can claim New Style ESA if all of the following apply:

• You're under State Pension age
• You have a disability or health condition that affects how much you can work
• You've paid enough National Insurance contributions in the last 2 to 3 years (National Insurance credits also count)
• You're not getting Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) or Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)

National Insurance Requirements

To qualify for New Style ESA, you need to have paid or been credited with enough National Insurance contributions. You usually need to have met the National Insurance conditions for 2 tax years:

• In 2025, the relevant tax years are 2022-23 and 2023-24
• You need either full years of contributions from employment or self-employment for both years, OR one full year from work and the other from National Insurance credits

You may have received National Insurance credits if you were previously claiming certain benefits (like Jobseeker's Allowance, Carer's Allowance, or if you were a parent or carer). You can check your National Insurance record online at GOV.UK.

Can You Work and Claim ESA?

Yes, you may be able to do some work while claiming ESA, but there are limits:

• You can work less than 16 hours per week
• You cannot earn more than £183.50 per week

This is sometimes called "permitted work." If you're already on ESA and want to try working, speak to your work coach about the rules to make sure it doesn't affect your benefit.

Students Can Claim ESA Too

If you're a student (full-time or part-time), you can claim New Style ESA as long as you meet the National Insurance requirements and your health condition significantly limits your ability to work.

ESA Rates for 2025/26

How much you receive depends on your age and which group you're placed in after your Work Capability Assessment.

Assessment Phase (First 13 Weeks)

For the first 13 weeks of your claim, while your ability to work is being assessed, you'll receive the assessment rate:

The assessment phase normally lasts 13 weeks, but delays are common and many assessments take much longer. If your assessment takes longer than 13 weeks, you'll continue receiving the assessment rate until a decision is made, and any money you're owed will be backdated.

Main Phase ESA Rates

After your Work Capability Assessment, you'll be placed into one of two groups, which determines how much you receive:

When Is ESA Paid?

ESA is paid every 2 weeks directly into your bank or building society account.

How Pensions Affect Your ESA

If you receive a private or occupational pension of more than £85 per week, your ESA will be reduced. Half of any pension income over £85 is deducted from your ESA payment each week.

For example, if you receive £100 per week from a pension, £7.50 will be deducted from your ESA (half of the £15 over the £85 threshold).

If your pension income is high enough, you may receive no ESA payments at all – but you'll still receive National Insurance credits, which count towards your State Pension.

The Work Capability Assessment

The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) is used to decide whether you can continue claiming ESA and which group you'll be placed in. It's a thorough assessment of how your illness or disability affects your ability to work.

What Happens During the Assessment

The assessment has several stages:

1. The ESA50 Questionnaire

After you apply for ESA, you'll be sent a questionnaire called the ESA50 (or "Capability for Work Questionnaire"). This long form asks detailed questions about how your condition affects your daily life and ability to work.

The questionnaire asks about activities like:

• Moving around and physical activities
• Continence
• Learning tasks and making yourself understood
• Social engagement and awareness of hazards
• Getting about (navigation and maintaining safety)
• Coping with change and social situations
• Appropriateness of behaviour with other people

2. The Medical Assessment

After reviewing your questionnaire, a DWP decision maker may decide you need a face-to-face assessment with a healthcare professional. Not everyone needs an assessment – if your questionnaire and supporting evidence clearly show you have limited capability for work, you may be awarded ESA without an appointment.

If you do need an assessment, it can take place:

• At an assessment centre
• By video call
• By telephone
• At your home (in exceptional circumstances)

You can ask for your assessment to be recorded. Tell the Health Assessment Advisory Service if you want this – contact details will be in your appointment letter.

You can bring someone with you to the assessment, such as a friend, family member, or support worker. During the assessment, the healthcare professional will:

• Ask you questions about your condition and how it affects you
• Ask about your daily activities and what help you need
• May conduct a brief physical examination (if appropriate)
• Write a report for the DWP decision maker

3. The Decision

After your assessment, a DWP decision maker will review all the evidence and decide:

• Whether you have "limited capability for work" (can you claim ESA?)
• Whether you have "limited capability for work-related activity" (which group are you in?)

The decision is based on a points system. You need to score 15 points or more to be found to have limited capability for work. If you meet certain specific criteria, you'll be placed in the support group.

If You're Placed in the Work-Related Activity Group

If you're placed in this group, you'll need to:

• Attend regular interviews with a work coach at the Jobcentre
• Take part in work-related activities agreed in your Claimant Commitment (like writing a CV, attending training, or improving your skills)
• Prepare for a return to work in the future

Your ESA can be reduced (sanctioned) if you don't attend interviews or do the agreed activities without a good reason. The reduction can last up to 4 weeks after you restart activities.

If You're Placed in the Support Group

If you're in the support group:

• You don't have to attend work-focused interviews
• You don't have to take part in work-related activities
• You can volunteer to do so if you want to
• You cannot be sanctioned
• Your ESA has no time limit (you can claim indefinitely as long as you meet the conditions)

How to Apply for ESA

Before You Apply

Make sure you have:

• Your National Insurance number
• Your bank or building society account details
• Your doctor's details and information about your condition
• Your employment history (including dates you worked)
• Details of any pension you receive

Applying Online

The quickest way to apply is online at GOV.UK. You'll need to create an account and answer questions about your health condition and work history.

Applying by Phone

If you cannot apply online, you can call:

Telephone: 0800 055 6688
Textphone: 0800 328 1344
Relay UK: 18001 then 0800 055 6688 (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone)
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

If you're deaf and use British Sign Language, you may be able to use a video relay service to claim.

Someone Claiming on Your Behalf

If you cannot claim for yourself because of mental incapacity, the DWP can appoint someone to act on your behalf (called an "appointee").

Fit Notes (Medical Certificates)

You don't need a fit note (also called a sick note or medical certificate) for the first 7 days of your ESA claim. After that, you'll need to provide fit notes regularly to show you're still unable to work. Your GP or hospital doctor can provide these.

ESA and Universal Credit

Many people can claim both New Style ESA and Universal Credit at the same time. Here's how they work together:

Can You Claim Both?

Yes, you can claim both New Style ESA and Universal Credit simultaneously. However:

• Your Universal Credit payment will be reduced by the amount of ESA you receive
• You'll only have one Work Capability Assessment (not separate assessments for each benefit)
• New Style ESA is usually paid more regularly (every 2 weeks) than Universal Credit (monthly)
• You'll get different National Insurance credits from ESA, which count towards your State Pension

Which Should You Claim?

If you're eligible for New Style ESA, you should claim it even if you're also claiming Universal Credit, because:

• It provides National Insurance credits for your State Pension
• It's paid more frequently than Universal Credit
• It won't reduce your overall income (it replaces part of your Universal Credit, not add to it)

Income-Related ESA and Migration to Universal Credit

If you're currently receiving income-related ESA (the older type of ESA), you cannot make a new claim for it. Eventually, you'll be moved to Universal Credit through a process called "managed migration."

The DWP will send you a "migration notice" telling you when you need to claim Universal Credit. You must claim by the deadline in the letter to avoid losing benefits. When you move to Universal Credit, you may be entitled to transitional protection to ensure you don't receive less money.

Other Benefits You Can Claim with ESA

ESA is just one part of the benefits system. You may be able to claim other benefits alongside it:

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

ESA is for people who cannot work due to illness or disability. PIP and DLA are for the extra costs of disability – help with personal care and mobility. You can claim both ESA and PIP/DLA at the same time. They don't affect each other.

Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support

If you're on income-related ESA, you may automatically qualify for the maximum Housing Benefit. If you're on New Style ESA, you may still be able to get help with housing costs through Universal Credit.

Carer's Allowance

You usually cannot claim Carer's Allowance at the same time as ESA because they're both full-time benefits. However, if you care for someone, you may still be entitled to an underlying entitlement to Carer's Allowance, which can give you extra amounts on other benefits.

Child Tax Credit and Child Benefit

You can claim Child Tax Credit and Child Benefit alongside ESA if you have children. Note that Child Tax Credit is being replaced by Universal Credit for most new claimants.

Christmas Bonus

If you're receiving ESA when Christmas Bonus is paid (usually early December), you'll automatically receive a £10 Christmas Bonus. You don't need to apply for it.

Keeping Your ESA – Changes You Must Report

To continue receiving ESA, you must report any changes in your circumstances promptly. This includes:

• Changes to your health condition (getting better or worse)
• Going into hospital or a care home
• Starting work or increasing your hours
• Starting an educational or training course
• Changes to your personal details (address, bank account, phone number)
• Going abroad for more than 4 weeks
• Starting to receive a pension
• Changes to your savings or income (if on income-related ESA)
• If you're sent to prison

You should report changes by calling the ESA enquiry line or using your online account (if you have one).

Regular Fit Notes

You must continue to send fit notes (medical certificates) from your doctor regularly while claiming ESA. If you don't provide fit notes, your ESA will be stopped.

Reassessments

You may be asked to attend further Work Capability Assessments in the future to check whether you still have limited capability for work. The frequency of reassessments depends on your condition:

• If you have a severe, lifelong condition that's unlikely to improve, you may not be reassessed
• If your condition may change, you'll be reassessed every 1-3 years

You'll be sent a new ESA50 questionnaire when it's time for your reassessment.

If Your Claim Is Refused or You Disagree with a Decision

If your ESA claim is refused, or you're placed in the work-related activity group when you think you should be in the support group, you have the right to challenge the decision.

Mandatory Reconsideration

The first step is to request a mandatory reconsideration. You must do this within 1 month of the date on your decision letter (not the date you received it).

To request a mandatory reconsideration:

• Call the ESA enquiry line: 0800 055 6688
• Or write to the address on your decision letter
• Explain why you disagree with the decision
• Provide any additional medical evidence you have

A different DWP decision maker will look at your claim again. This usually takes a few weeks. The decision can be:

• Changed in your favour
• Upheld (the original decision stands)
• Changed against you (you get less than before – this is rare)

Appeal to a Tribunal

If the mandatory reconsideration decision still goes against you, you can appeal to an independent tribunal. You have 1 month from the date of the mandatory reconsideration decision to appeal.

Tribunal appeals have a much higher success rate than the initial decision – many decisions are overturned. You can represent yourself or get help from:

• Citizens Advice
• A local welfare rights adviser
• Disability Rights UK
• A solicitor (some offer free advice)

At the tribunal hearing, you'll be able to explain your case to an independent panel. The tribunal will make a new decision based on all the evidence.

Common Questions

Getting Help with Your Claim

Claiming ESA and going through the Work Capability Assessment can be daunting. Free help and advice is available: