What is Employment and Support Allowance?

You might be able to claim New Style ESA if you can’t work or can only do limited hours because of:

• sickness or disability
• your Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) has run out, or
• you’re self-employed and don’t qualify for SSP.

You can also apply if you’re caring for a child who falls into one of these groups.

To qualify, you need to have been paying or credited with National Insurance contributions for the past two to three years.

This means that for the 2025/26 tax year, you need to have been earning at least £125 a week, £542 a month or £6,500 a year. For previous years the rates are slightly lower.

You can’t claim it if you already receive the Severe Disability Premium.

Check if you’ve paid enough National Insurance contributions by calling HMRC on 0300 200 3500 (or 0300 200 3519 if you have a speech or hearing impairment). 

You can also check your National Insurance record onlineOpens in a new window on GOV.UK.

If you qualify for New Style ESA, you’ll be put into one of two groups after an initial assessment called the Work Capability Assessment:

• The ‘work-related activity group’ is if you expect to return to work. It’s paid for up to one year.
  • In this case you’ll typically receive £128.60 a week. This is made up of £92.05 a week personal allowance plus £36.55 for work-related activity component. 
  • If you’re under 25, it’s £109.45 a week. This is made up of the personal allowance of, or £72.90 plus £6.55 for the work-related activity component.
• The ‘support group’ is if your illness or disability means you can’t return to work – in this case you’ll typically get £140.55 a week. This is made up of the personal allowance of £92.05 and the support component of £48.50. There’s no time limit.

The above amounts are for the 2025/26 tax year and are taxable.

If your household income is low enough and you need extra support with housing costs or bringing up children, you might be able to claim Universal Credit alongside New Style ESA.

If you qualify for ESA, any amount of Universal Credit you get will reduce by the same amount.

The benefit of applying for New Style ESA alongside Universal Credit if you qualify for both is that you’ll get Class 1 National Insurance credits while receiving New Style ESA.

This applies whether you’re employed or self-employed. These credits will count towards your future State Pension entitlement – and your entitlement to certain other contribution-based benefits, such as statutory redundancy, maternity or paternity pay.

This is a benefit that’s being replaced with Universal Credit and you can’t make a new claim for it.

If you already get Severe Disability Premium and are making a new claim for means-tested sickness and disability benefits, you’ll now have to claim Universal Credit. Your Severe Disability Premium payment will stop and you’ll get a top-up payment in your Universal Credit instead.

If you’re already getting income-related ESA, you will be sent a letter in 2025 inviting you to apply for Universal Credit. Your letter will tell you how and when to apply for Universal Credit. 

You don’t need to do anything until you get your letter. If you need any help or support, details will be provided within your letter, or you can visit GOV.UKOpens in a new window