Employment and Support Allowance

What is Employment and Support Allowance?

Employment and Support Allowance replaced Incapacity Benefit and Income Support, paid because of an illness or disability, for new claims from 27 October 2008. If you are currently receiving these benefits you will continue to receive them, so long as you continue to satisfy the entitlement conditions.

Although, Employment and Support Allowance will initially be for new customers only, you will be fully eligible for the work-focused help which will be available with the Employment and Support Allowance and can access this on a voluntary basis.

Employment and Support Allowance is a new way of helping people with an illness or disability to move into work, if they are able.

There is evidence which shows that people are better off in work, not only financially, but in terms of their health and well-being, their self-esteem and the future prospects for themselves and their family.

Employment and Support Allowance offers you personalised support and financial help, so that you can engage in appropriate work, if you are able.

It gives you access to a specially trained personal adviser and a wide range of further services including employment, training and condition management support, to help you manage and cope with your illness or disability in a work context.

Central to Employment and Support Allowance is the new medical assessment called the Work Capability Assessment which assesses what you can do, rather than what you can't, and identifies the health related support you might need.

Most people claiming Employment and Support Allowance will be expected to take appropriate steps to help prepare for work, including attending a series of work-focused interviews with their personal adviser.

Under Employment and Support Allowance if you have an illness or disability that severely affects your ability to work, you will get increased financial support and will not be expected to prepare for a return to work; however you can volunteer to do so if you want to.

Can I get Employment and Support Allowance?

You may be able to get Employment and Support Allowance if you have an illness or disability that affects your ability to work, and you:

• are over 16 and under State Pension age, and
• are unemployed, or
• self employed, or
• work for an employer but you cannot get Statutory Sick Pay, or
• have been getting Statutory Sick Pay but it has now stopped

How much will I get?

Employment and Support Allowance consists of two phases; the assessment phase and the main phase.

In most cases, if you qualify for Employment and Support Allowance you will not get any money for the first 3 days of your claim. These are called 'waiting days'. Then you will get the assessment phase rate while we assess your ability to work.

The assessment phase rate is paid for the first 13 weeks of your claim while a decision is made on your capability for work through the Work Capability Assessment.

The main phase rate starts from week 14 of your claim, if the Work Capability Assessment shows that your illness or disability does limit your ability to work.

There are two groups within the main phase:

Work Related Activity Group

If you are placed in the work related activity group you will be expected to take part in work focused interviews with your personal adviser, and will have access to a range of support to help you prepare for suitable work. In return, you will receive a work related activity component in addition to your basic rate. But if you refuse to take part in work focused interviews, it may affect your benefit.

Support Group

If you are placed in the support group because your illness or disability has a severe effect on your ability to work, you will not be expected to take part in any work related activity, but you can do so on a voluntary basis if you want to. You will receive a support component in addition to your basic rate.

What are the benefit rates?

Assessment Phase

A single person aged under 25: Up to £50.95

A single person aged 25 and over: Up to £64.30

Main Phase - Work Related Activity Group

Single person: Up to £89.80

Main Phase - Support Group

Single person: Up to £95.15

Depending on your circumstances you may be able to get more money if you get income-related Employment and Support Allowance.

You can only get extra money for your husband, wife or civil partner if you get income-related Employment and Support Allowance.

What is the Work Capability Assessment

When you make a claim for Employment and Support Allowance, you will usually have a Work Capability Assessment. As part of this, a healthcare professional who has been approved by the Department for Work and Pensions may recommend that you attend a medical assessment. We may also ask you to take part in a Work Focused Health Related Assessment.

The medical assessment will involve an interview and sometimes a physical examination, if the approved healthcare professional feels one is needed.

The assessment is likely to be different from what you would expect from your own doctor. The approved healthcare professional's examination is not to diagnose or discuss treatment of your illness or disability; it is to assess how it affects you and your ability to work and the approved healthcare professional may not need to carry out a physical examination.

After your medical assessment the healthcare professional may complete a Work Focused Health Related assessment. During this you will be asked about how you feel your illness or disability is stopping you working and what help you need to start work.

Helping you into work, if you are able

If you are in the work related activity group, you will regularly see your personal adviser to discuss your work prospects. They will give you help and advice with:

• your job goals
• your skills, strengths and abilities
• steps you can take to help find suitable work
• your ideas, problems and any other work related issues you want to talk about

If you refuse to:

• go to the work focused interviews, or
• take part fully in the work focused interviews it may affect your entitlement to Employment and Support Allowance

If you are in the support group you do not have to go to work focused interviews, but you can ask to talk to a personal adviser if you want to.

What do I need to do next?

To claim Employment and Support Allowance phone 0800 055 6688 (8.00 am to 6.00 pm Monday to Friday)

A textphone service is available if you have a speech or hearing impairment, 0800 023 4888

Information about call charges

Claim online - you can claim Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support or Incapacity Benefit online

If you are unable to claim by phone or online, you can download the claim form (you will have to print this form and post it to us). You must read these notes with the claim form:

 Employment and Support Allowance claim form notes (183.72kb)

 Download the Employment and Support Allowance claim form (2.10mb) 

These forms do not apply in Northern Ireland.

We have introduced a special feature that lets you save this form as you fill it in. This feature only works in Adobe Acrobat reader 7.0 and above. This means that you no longer have to complete the form in one session.

Support for mortgage interest

If you are claiming Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or income-related Employment & Support Allowance and you are a homeowner, your benefit may include additional support for mortgage interest (SMI).

Find out more about support for mortgage interest

Further information

 Employment and Support Allowance - Help if you are ill or disabled (222.79kb)

 A Guide to Employment and Support Allowance - The Work Capability Assessment (163.81kb)

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