Employment and Support Allowance
Employment and Support Allowance
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) came into force on 27th October 2008. It replaced Incapacity Benefit (IB) and Income Support (IS) for new claimants who are incapable of work due to illness or disability. Those claimants who are already in receipt of IB or IS due to their illness or disability will continue on their current benefits for the time being. The government has proposed that existing claimants will transfer to ESA over the period 2010 - 2014.
The main elements of the new benefit are;
Assessment phase
The assessment phase lasts for 13 weeks during which the claimant will receive ESA at the same rate as Jobseekers Allowance. During this Assessment phase the claimant will undergo the Work Capability Assessment (WCA). Passing this will allow you to continue to claim ESA. This assessment, along with any other information that may be obtained, will determine which rate of benefit you will be eligible for after the Assessment phase. Claimants will then go into one of two groups: - the Work-Related Activity Group or the Support Group.
Work-related Activity Group
It is envisaged that about 90% of claimants will go into the Work-related Activity Group and they will be paid an additional amount of ESA, known as the Work Related Activity Component. Claimants in this group will be required to attend Work-focused interviews as well as participating in work-related activity such as drawing up action plans for improving their condition in order to enable them to return to work. Failure to attend work-focused interviews without good cause will lead to cuts in benefit.
Support Group
Those claimants whose illness or disability is more severe will be placed in the Support Group; these claimants will receive a higher rate of benefit, the Support Component, and will not be obliged to participate in any work-related activity although they can do so voluntarily.
Work Capability Assessment
The test that claimants need to pass in order to qualify for ESA has been re-named the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) (as opposed to the Personal Capability Assessment [PCA] for those currently claiming IB and IS due to illness or disability). The government expects less claimants to pass the new test. The assessment covers both physical and mental ill health with claimants having to score at least 15 points in order to qualify for ESA. A select group of claimants, such as those who are terminally ill, some pregnant women where there is serious risk to mother and/or child and those receiving treatment such as chemotherapy will be exempt from this test.