New Style ESA 2026: sickness and disability benefit — rates and stages

New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is a payment for people whose illness or disability limits their ability to work. Like New Style JSA, it is based on National Insurance contributions rather than savings, and you can claim it alongside Universal Credit. You can get it even if your partner works.

How much is ESA?

For the first weeks you get the “assessment rate”: up to £75.65 a week if you are under 25, and up to £95.55 a week if you are 25 or over. Payments are usually made every two weeks.

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What is the 13-week assessment phase?

You normally get the assessment rate for the first 13 weeks while the Work Capability Assessment decides how your condition affects your ability to work. If the assessment takes longer, you keep the assessment rate until a decision is made. After the assessment you are placed in one of two groups, and the amount changes.

How do the two groups differ?

If you are placed in the work-related activity group (you are able to prepare for a return to work), the payment is up to £95.55 a week. If you are placed in the support group (your condition is severe enough that you are not expected to prepare for work), the payment is higher — up to £145.90 a week. People in the support group are not required to attend work-focused interviews.

What National Insurance do you need?

New Style ESA usually requires that you have paid or been credited with NI contributions over the last two to three tax years. GOV.UK checks the exact conditions against your NI record. While you receive ESA you are awarded NI credits that protect your pension record.

How do you apply and what to prepare?

You apply online on GOV.UK or by phone. You will need a fit note from your doctor, your National Insurance number and bank details. Be ready to complete a questionnaire about how your condition affects daily life and possibly attend an assessment in person or by phone. If you are refused, you can ask for a mandatory reconsideration and then appeal.

ESA is often combined with Universal Credit: ESA pays on your contributions and protects your pension, while Universal Credit adds housing and income help.

Can you work while getting ESA?

In most cases ESA recipients should not work, but there is an exception — “permitted work”: a small amount of work within a set limit of hours and earnings that does not remove your right to the payment. Check the rules and thresholds on GOV.UK and tell DWP about any work in advance.

What if you are refused?

If ESA is refused or you are placed in the wrong group, first ask for a “mandatory reconsideration” — a review of the decision. You usually have to do this within a month of the decision date. If the review does not help, you can appeal to an independent tribunal. At every stage it helps to attach medical evidence showing how your condition affects everyday tasks.