ESA stands for Employment and Support Allowance. It is a benefit paid to people who are unable to work because of ill-health or disability.
ESA was introduced in 2008, when it replaced a previous benefit called Incapacity Benefit. People who were receiving Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance or Income Support on the grounds of incapacity for work were gradually moved over to ESA.
There are two types of ESA:
- Contributory – this is based on the claimant’s own personal National Insurance contribution record. For older claims, this is known as Contribution-based ESA and for more recent claims it is known as New-Style ESA.
- Income-related – this is based on the income and capital of the claimant and their partner if they have one. It is means-tested. Income-related ESA is gradually being replaced by Universal Credit.
What is ESA: assessment phase?
The assessment phase of ESA is supposed to last for 13 weeks, but for many claimants it lasts a lot longer. In the assessment phase, you are likely to be sent an ESA50 limited capability for work questionnaire and may have to attend a medical assessment called a Work Capability Assessment (WCA).
At the end of the assessment phase, a decision will be made about whether you are eligible for ESA and, if so, which group you will be put in. If you are awarded ESA on the grounds of terminal illness, you will automatically be placed in the support group from the outset of your claim and so you will not have to go through the assessment phase.
What is ESA: main phase?
Once you have completed the assessment phase, provided you were not found capable of work, you will enter the main phase of ESA. In the main phase, you will either be in the work-related activity group or the support group. You may receive extra money as a result of this. If you are under 25, your basic personal allowance from ESA will increase to the same rate as claimants over 25 when you enter the main phase.
What is ESA: support group?
The ESA support group is for people who are judged to be unable to work or even to attend interviews intended to help sick and disabled people move into work. Claimants in the support group an additional payment called the support component. This is added from the 14th week of their claim.
What is ESA: work-related activity group?
The ESA work-related activity group is for claimants who are not considered well enough to work at the moment, but who the DWP believes could eventually move into work if given enough support. Claimants in the work-related activity group have to attend a series of work-focused interviews.
Claimants whose ESA claims started before April 2017 can receive an extra payment called the work-related activity component when they are placed in the WRAG group. But if your claim started after April 2017, you will receive the main phase personal allowance only, with no additional work-related activity component.
