Your Guide to The Employment and Support Allowance

At the time of writing, you can apply for ESA “if you’re under State Pension age and you have a disability or health condition that affects how much you can work.” There are other conditions, such as having worked as an employee or been self-employed and paid National Insurance contributions to the required level. You can also count National Insurance credits. This is usually over the previous two to three years. If you claim Jobseeker’s Allowance or are receiving Statutory Sick Pay, you won’t be eligible for ESA though. You can check whether there are any gaps in your National Insurance contributions via the Government Gateway service here. You’ll need to set up an account if you don’t already have one.

• Your National Insurance number
• A bank or building society account number and sort code (you can use a friend or family member’s account if you do not have one)
• Your doctor’s name, address and telephone number
• A fit note (sometimes called a sick note or statement of fitness for work) if you’ve not been able to work for more than seven days in a row because of a health condition or disability
• If you’re currently working, details of your income
• If you’re claiming Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), the date it ends

If you are notified that you are ineligible for ESA, or you don’t agree with the amount you have been awarded, you have the right to challenge the decision. The DWP calls this “mandatory reconsideration”. This process can be entered into if you feel your claim wasn’t handled correctly, you think they have missed important evidence while considering it, or you feel that your decision should be looked at again. The DWP can go through your options with you after you receive your decision. Some types of ESA can be reapplied for, while other types can’t. Your work coach should be able to advise you accordingly. This process should usually begin within one month of the decision you receive, unless you have a very good reason for it being delayed. This process also applies to other benefits you may wish to apply for, not just ESA.

Our carers are amazing at taking care of people in their own homes, but did you know they could also help you access support services outside of your home? If you struggle to mobilise or you need help to attend in-person appointments, your compassionate carer will be able to accompany you to the places you need to go. While we are not able to advise you directly on benefits you may be entitled to, your carer can often help you find the correct service by looking online or finding you a phone number, meaning you can speak to the people who can make decisions on your payments.
There’s so much more that our friendly carers can help you with, though. This means you can remain in the home you love rather than move into residential care. We offer both visiting and live-in care that can help you remain independent and enable you to live as well as possible in the home you love. This gives you a better quality of life, and because the Care Quality Commission and the Care Inspectorate Wales fully regulate all of our services, you and your loved ones can be confident that we’re the UK’s most trusted home care company.