Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Your ESA claim
After you바카라 사이트™ve made your claim, you바카라 사이트™ll be told if you need to have a 바카라 사이트˜Work Capability Assessment바카라 사이트™ and what group you바카라 사이트™ll be put in.
Work Capability Assessment
A Work Capability Assessment is used to find out if your illness or disability affects how much you can work.
You might not need one, for example if you바카라 사이트™re in hospital or you바카라 사이트™re nearing the end of life.
If you need a Work Capability Assessment you바카라 사이트™ll get a letter telling you to fill in the 바카라 사이트˜Capability for work questionnaire바카라 사이트™ and send it to the Health Assessment Advisory Service. The address is on the form. There is a .
You바카라 사이트™ll be told what happens next, for example if you need an appointment to understand your health condition better.
If you바카라 사이트™re claiming both Universal Credit and New Style ESA, you바카라 사이트™ll only have one Work Capability Assessment.
You can ask for your assessment to be recorded. If you would like this, tell the Health Assessment Advisory Service using the contact details in your appointment invite letter.
How the assessment happens
Assessments can be in person, by video call or on the phone. You바카라 사이트™ll be told how your assessment will take place.
You can have someone else with you at the assessment, such as a friend or support worker. If your assessment is by phone or video call, you can ask the assessor to call them if they바카라 사이트™re not with you when the assessment starts.
You바카라 사이트™ll stay on the 바카라 사이트˜assessment rate바카라 사이트™ until a decision can be made on your Work Capability Assessment.
After your claim is assessed
If you바카라 사이트™re entitled to ESA you바카라 사이트™ll be placed in one of 2 groups:
- a work-related activity group (you cannot work now, but can prepare to work in the future, for example by writing a CV)
- a support group (you cannot work now and you바카라 사이트™re not expected to prepare for work in the future)
You will:
- usually be in the support group if your illness or disability severely limits what you can do
- be in the support group if you바카라 사이트™re nearing the end of life
If you바카라 사이트™re in the work-related activity group
You must attend regular interviews with a work coach. They can help you improve your skills or write a CV to help you get back into work.
If you바카라 사이트™re in the support group
You do not have to go to interviews. You can tell your work coach if you바카라 사이트™d like to take part in work-related activities.
How long you바카라 사이트™ll get ESA for
You cannot make a new claim for income-related ESA. You바카라 사이트™ll continue to get payments while you바카라 사이트™re eligible until your claim ends.
New Style and contribution-based ESA last for 365 days if you바카라 사이트™re in the work-related activity group.
There바카라 사이트™s no time limit if you바카라 사이트™re in the support group, or if you바카라 사이트™re getting income-related ESA.
To keep getting ESA you must report any change in your circumstances. You may also need to send fit notes regularly.
If you get a sanction
Your ESA can be reduced if you do not attend interviews or do work-related activity as agreed with your work coach in your 바카라 사이트˜Claimant Commitment바카라 사이트™. This reduction can continue for up to 4 weeks after you restart work-related activities.
You바카라 사이트™ll get a letter to say you may be sanctioned. Tell your work coach if you have a good reason for not doing what was agreed in your Claimant Commitment.
You바카라 사이트™ll get another letter if the decision is made to give you a sanction. Your benefit will only be affected once a decision has been made.
You should contact your local council immediately if you claim Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction. They바카라 사이트™ll tell you what to do to continue getting support.
If you get a sanction you can:
- ask for the decision to be looked at again
- ask for a hardship payment
You will not get a sanction if you바카라 사이트™re in the support group.
Hardship payments
If you get income-related ESA, you may be able to get a hardship payment if your benefit has been reduced because of a sanction or a penalty due to suspected benefit fraud.
A hardship payment is a reduced amount of your ESA. You do not have to pay it back.
You can get a hardship payment if you cannot pay for rent, heating, food or other basic needs for you or your family. You must be 18 or over.
Speak to your Jobcentre Plus adviser or work coach to find out how to claim a hardship payment.