Employment and Support Allowance, in plain English
Employment and Support Allowance, usually called ESA, is money for people whose illness or disability limits how much they can work. It is paid by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). This site explains the version most people claim today, New Style ESA, in plain English: who can claim it, what the assessment involves, what each group pays, what work you can do while claiming, and what happens when something changes or a decision goes against you.
ESA in one paragraph
You can claim New Style ESA if you are under State Pension age, you have a health condition or disability that limits your ability to work, and you have paid enough National Insurance contributions, usually in the last 2 to 3 years. You are paid at an assessment rate for normally 13 weeks while the DWP assesses your claim. After the Work Capability Assessment you are placed in the work-related activity group or the support group, and your weekly rate depends on that group. ESA is paid every 2 weeks. It is not the same as Universal Credit or Personal Independence Payment, although you can claim ESA alongside either of them in the circumstances explained on the comparisons page.
The numbers that matter most, 2026/27
| Stage or group | Weekly rate, from April 2026 |
|---|---|
| Assessment rate, under 25 | Up to £75.65 |
| Assessment rate, 25 or over | Up to £95.55 |
| Work-related activity group, new claims | Up to £95.55 |
| Work-related activity group, claims before 3 April 2017 | Up to £133.50 |
| Support group | Up to £145.90 |
The support group figure is the personal allowance of £95.55 plus the support component of £50.35. The work-related activity component of £37.95 is paid only on older protected claims, which is why new work-related activity group claims stay at £95.55. If you receive more than £85 a week from a private pension, half of the excess is deducted from your ESA: a £100-a-week pension, for example, reduces ESA by £7.50 a week.
How this site is organised
Start with who can claim for the eligibility test, then the two groups for what each group means in practice. The Work Capability Assessment walks through the questionnaire and the appointment itself. Rates and payments gives the full 2026/27 table and explains fortnightly payment, pension deductions and the 365-day limit. How to claim lists exactly what to have ready. Permitted work covers the 16-hour and £203.50 limits. Changes explains what must be reported and when. Sanctions and appeals covers reductions, mandatory reconsideration and tribunal appeals. ESA vs UC vs PIP keeps the three benefits apart, and FAQ and myths answers the questions people ask most.
Three common misunderstandings, cleared up at the start
ESA is not means-tested in the way people expect. For New Style ESA, your savings and your partner's earnings do not affect the award. What does affect it is your National Insurance record, a private pension over £85 a week, and certain overlapping benefits. ESA is not a payment for a diagnosis. The assessment looks at what you can and cannot do, day by day, not at the name of your condition. ESA does not automatically end if you try a little work. Permitted work within the hours and earnings limits lets you test work while keeping your benefit, provided you tell the DWP first.
One warning that applies to the whole site: ESA rules change, and the April uprating moves the figures every year. Treat every figure here as the 2026/27 position and check GOV.UK for the current rate before you rely on it for a decision.