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Check if you can claim 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.
Check if you can claim new style ESA
You usually need to have met National Insurance conditions for 2 tax years – in 2024 the tax years are 2021-22 and 2022-23.
You can check your National Insurance record on GOV.UK. It will say if you have a ‘full year’ of contributions, and if this comes from employment, self-employment or National Insurance credits.
You might have got National Insurance credits to fill gaps in your payments. For example, if you were getting benefits because you weren’t working or were ill.
You’ll meet the National Insurance conditions if you have either:
- full years of contributions from employment or self-employment for both tax years
- 1 full year of contributions from employment or self-employment and the other full year from National Insurance credits
If you don’t think you meet the National Insurance conditions or you can’t check your National Insurance record, you should still apply for new style ESA. You might meet the National Insurance conditions in other situations. The DWP will check your National Insurance record as part of your application.
Even if you don’t qualify for new style ESA, you might still get National Insurance credits if you have limited capability for work. These National Insurance credits might help you qualify for ESA in the future. They also count as contributions for your State Pension. Check if you can get National Insurance credits on GOV.UK.
Check if you can add income-related ESA to your claim for contribution-based ESA
If you’re already getting contribution-based ESA, you might be able to add income-related ESA if you’re eligible for it.
To get income-related ESA:
- you must have no income or a low income
- you must have less than £16,000 in savings
- you must not be ‘subject to immigration control’ – check if you’re subject to immigration control
- if you live with a partner, they must work less than 24 hours each week
If you live with a partner, the DWP will add your income and savings together.
If you’re in full time education, you can only get income-related ESA if you also get:
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA),
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP)
- Adult Disability Payment
- Child Disability Payment
To add income-related ESA you shouldn’t make a new claim – you should ask the DWP for a ‘supersession’ of the claim. You can ask for your claim to be superseded by either:
- writing to the address on your ESA letters
- calling the Jobcentre Plus
Jobcentre Plus Telephone: 0800 169 0310
Claiming new style ESA
You’ll need to show that your medical condition makes it difficult to work – this is called ‘limited capability for work’.
If you haven’t already, you should get a fit note from a healthcare professional who’s treating you.
Getting a fit note
You can get a fit note from the following healthcare professionals:
- your GP or a doctor at a hospital
- a registered nurse
- a pharmacist
- an occupational therapist
- a physiotherapist
Your fit note will be either printed or digital. If you’re not sure which kind you’ll get and how you’ll get it, check with the healthcare professional.
If you get a printed fit note, check that the healthcare professional has signed it.
If you get a digital fit note, check that it includes the healthcare professional’s name.
If the healthcare professional hasn’t either signed your fit note or included their name, it could be rejected by the DWP and you might have to get a new one.
Your fit note is free if you’ve been ill for more than 7 days when you ask for it. You might have to pay for it if you’ve been ill for 7 days or less.
You should always keep your fit note – you might have to pay for a replacement if you lose or delete it. You can give the DWP a copy or take a photo of it to upload online.
Apply for new style ESA
Because of coronavirus, you have to apply for new style ESA online or by phone.
You’ll need to do this even if you’re on Universal Credit. You can’t apply for ESA through your Universal Credit online account anymore.
You can apply online for new style ESA on GOV.UK. You’ll be asked some questions first to make sure you’re eligible. If you are, you’ll be asked to fill in an online form.
When you apply you’ll need:
- your National Insurance number – check where to find your National Insurance number at GOV.UK
- your bank or building society account number and sort code – if you don’t have a bank account you can use the payment exception service on GOV.UK
- your GP’s name, address and telephone number
- details of your income if you’re working
- the date your SSP ends if you’re claiming it
When the form asks what date you want to claim ESA from, put the date when you first had limited capability for work. You’ll need to give the DWP a fit note from that date.
You’ll need to apply by phone if you’re an ‘appointee’ which means you’re applying on behalf of someone else. If you can’t use online forms you can also apply over the phone. Call the Jobcentre Plus new claims helpline – select the option for new style ESA.
When you call the DWP they might tell you to claim Universal Credit too – you don’t need to do this to claim new style ESA. If you want to understand what benefits you can get before you call the DWP you can use a benefits calculator.
Don’t feel pressured by the DWP into applying for something you’re not sure about – if you don’t want to claim Universal Credit tell them you only want to claim new style ESA.
Jobcentre Plus claim lines Telephone: 0800 055 6688