New Style Employment & Support Allowance (ESA) 2026 | Rates and eligibility

This article highlights everything you need to know about New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

What is New Style ESA?

New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is for people who have limited ability to work owing to an illness, disability or health condition.

New Style ESA has replaced ESA for new claimants. Existing claimants can continue claiming the old ESA.

What is the difference between ESA and New Style ESA?

The essential difference is that the old ESA could be income-based or contributory, while the new one is just contributory.

A contributory benefit means:

• It is not means-tested, so how much your partner earns or how much you both have in savings is not taken into account.
• To be eligible, you must have paid enough National Insurance contributions through work, or been credited with them through other benefits.
• While you claim, you will be credited with National Insurance contributions.

The New Style ESA is under the Universal Credit system whereas the old one wasn’t.

If you need your income to be taken into account, you may be better off applying for Universal Credit.

What are the New Style ESA rates 2026/27?

The rates for New Style ESA are the same as normal ESA. As with the old ESA, New Style ESA is split into two groups.

During your assessment phase which can take up to 13 weeks, before it has been decided which group you’ll be in, you will receive:

• £75.65 per week if you’re under 25 years old
• £95.55 per week if you’re 25 or over

Work-related Activity Group

The work-related activity group is for people who are likely to be able to return to work in the future.

The rate is £133.50 per week if you are 25 and over.

If you are in this group, you will get payments for one year. Your payments will be subject to the benefit cap.

ESA Support Group

The support group is for people who are unlikely to be able to work again.

The rate is £145.90 per week if you are 25 and over.

What affects how much you get?

If you are receiving a private pension of more than £85 a week, half of the amount of the £85 will be subtracted from your weekly ESA payments.

If your private pension is high, you may not be able to get any ESA payments.

When does ESA get paid?

You will get paid your ESA every two weeks.

Who can claim New Style ESA?

To be eligible for New Style ESA you must:

• Have made Class 1 (paid by employed people) or Class 2 (paid by self-employed people) National Insurance contributions, either from working or you have been credited through certain benefits.
• Have worked within the last 2-3 years.
• Be over 16 years of age and under state pension age.
• Be unable to work, or have limited capability to work, due to all illness or disability. This will be assessed in a work capability assessment.
• Have or obtain a fit note from your doctor.

You’ll also get Class 1 National Insurance credits while you claim new style ESA, which contribute towards your pension.

Is New ESA being phased out?

Unemployment Insurance

In 2028/29, the government plans to combine ESA with Job Seekers Allowance into one, single benefit that will be called Unemployment Insurance. This benefit will not be means tested.

The planned reforms will see the new benefit paid at the same rate as ESA but only for a limited time and claimants will be expected to actively look for work. The government has said there will be exceptions depending on the severity of the disability or health condition.

Assessment

Under the new system, assessment of Employment and Support Allowance will also change. There will be a new single assessment based on the PIP assessment. This will cover eligibility for ESA, PIP and the health element of Universal Credit.

The assessment will look at the impact, a person’s disability has on daily life, not on their ability to work.

What if I am nearing end of life?

If you have 12 months or less left to live you may be able to get Employment Support Allowance (ESA) quicker and at a higher rate. 

This is called ‘special rules for end of life’.

After you have been assessed you will be able to get £140.55 per week.

Is it means tested?

Unlike Universal Credit, New Style ESA is not means tested, so it doesn’t matter how much you have in savings or how much your partner earns.

You can claim it alongside Universal Credit, but your Universal Credit will be reduced accordingly. 

Do I have to attend appointments if I claim New Style ESA?

If you successfully claim New Style ESA, you will have to agree to a Claimant Commitment. 

What you have to do under this agreement depends on which group you’re put into.

• Work-related activity group members have to meet regularly for interviews with their work coach. This person helps you with preparing to re-enter the workforce.
• Support group members don’t have to attend interviews but you still have a work coach.

How to apply for New Style ESA

You can apply for New Style ESA online.

You can also apply through your local JobCentre Plus or by phone: 0800 328 5644