Contributory Employment and Support Allowance (C-ESA)

If your ability to work is limited by disability or ill health you may be able to claim a benefit called Contributory Employment and Support Allowance (C-ESA). This is a non-means tested income replacement benefit. You must meet two eligibility criteria to receive C-ESA. The first is that you have made sufficient  National Insurance contributions. The second is that you pass a ‘Work Capability Assessment’ (WCA).  The WCA determines whether you are eligible for ESA, by deciding if you have limited capability for work and or work related activity.

Existing Income-related ESA claims

C-ESA is a different benefit to Income-related ESA which some of you may claim.

Income-related ESA is a legacy benefit* and new claims for this cannot be made.

Income-related ESA replaced incapacity benefit so some of you may still receive it. In time you will be invited to move to Universal Credit. You do not need to do anything until you receive a letter from DWP, this is called ‘managed migration’. Please contact the Trust on 01480 474074 for further advice.

 

* A legacy benefit is a benefit which is being replaced by Universal Credit. It is not possible to make a new claim for a legacy benefit.

 

What is Contributory Employment and Support Allowance (C-ESA)?

Contributory ESA is an income replacement benefit. It:

  • Is based on your National Insurance Contributions record
  • May be time limited (12 months, depending on the outcome of the WCA)
  • Does not give additional benefits such as free prescriptions, dental work etc
  • Is not means tested, meaning other savings or household income is irrelevant*.
  • Provides a fixed payment for the claimant only

*A private pension can affect your entitlement to C-ESA, please contact the Trust for further information and support.

 

This means you can only apply for C-ESA if you have paid enough National Insurance Contributions. If you are unable to work due to illness or disability and you have not paid enough National Insurance Contributions, you will need to make a claim for Universal Credit instead. For more information on how to claim Universal Credit visit the Gov.uk website or contact the Health & Wellbeing team at the Trust for help.

 

There are two types of C-ESA:

‘Old Style C-ESA’ and ‘New Style C-ESA’.

You will receive Old Style C-ESA if you applied before Universal Credit was rolled out in your area.

You will receive New Style C-ESA if you applied after Universal Credit was rolled out in your area.

Most people will now apply for New Style C-ESA (NSC-ESA).

 

How to claim 'New Style' ESA

You can claim 'New Style' ESA online on the Gov.uk website.

If you cannot apply online, you can call 0800 055 6688 (textphone: 0800 328 1344; Relay UK - if you cannot hear or speak on the phone: 18001 then 0800 055 6688). It can take several minutes to get through.

If you are deaf and use British Sign Language, you may be able to claim using a video relay service on this Interpreters Live web page.

In Northern Ireland, you can claim 'New Style' ESA  online. If you cannot apply online, you can call 0800 085 6318 (textphone: 0800 328 3419).

For anyone who cannot claim for themselves because of mental incapacity, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) can appoint someone to act on their behalf.

 

What else do I need to do?

As part of the C-ESA application you will need to provide evidence that you have limited capability for work. For the first seven days of any period of limited capability for work, you do not need a medical certificate (the fit note). Once you have had limited capability for work for more than seven days, you must normally provide the DWP with a fit note from your doctor*.

If you work for an employer and do not get statutory sick pay (or it is ending), you will also need to provide the DWP with form SSP1 (which you get from your employer) as well as a fit note from the first day of your claim.

*The DWP will sometimes accept other evidence of your limited capability for work, such as a letter from a Trust Medical Adviser. Please contact us for further support.

 

What happens next?

After you have made your claim, there will be a 13 week ‘assessment period’. During this time, you will be paid C-ESA at the basic rate. During this period, you will be expected to undertake a ‘Work Capability Assessment’ (WCA). The DWP will send you a form to complete; and this is usually followed by a face-to-face assessment.

After this assessment you will be placed in one of two groups, the ‘work related activity group’ (WRCA) or the ‘support group’.

If you are placed in the WRCA, your claim for C-ESA will be limited to 12 months, and you must meet work- related conditions, such as preparing a CV. After the 12-month period your claim, and your payment, will end.

If you are placed in the ‘support’ group, there is no time limit on your claim, and you receive an additional amount of money (the support component); additionally, you do not have to take part in any work- related activity.  Your claim will continue until you are well enough to return to work or you are re-assessed. The DWP usually tell you what the assessment period is in your decision letter. You might have to do a WCA every 1-3 years depending on the information you provided in your original assessment; however, you do not have to do another WCA if your condition or illness is severe and you are unlikely to ever be able to work because of this condition or illness.

 

Contact us if you need support

The Trust can support you with your work capability assessment – please contact us for more information.