New Style Employment and Support Allowance(ESA)
If you are ill or have a health condition or disability that limits your ability to work you may be able to get New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
New Style ESA is a fortnightly payment that can be claimed on its own or at the same time as Universal Credit (UC). If you get both benefits, your Universal Credit payment is reduced by the amount you get for New Style ESA.
New Style ESA is a contributory benefit. Normally, this means you may be able to get it if you’ve paid or been credited with enough National Insurance contributions in the 2 full tax years before the year you’re claiming in.
You can read more about New Style Employment and Support Allowance on gov.uk New Style Employment and Support Allowance – GOV.UK
Useful links/How to apply
New Style Employment and Support Allowance
How to apply New Style Employment and Support Allowance – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Send you sick note Send your fit note for your ESA claim – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
PIP Personal Independence Payment
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can help with extra living costs if you have both:
- a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability
- difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around because of your condition
You can get PIP even if you’re working, have savings or are getting most other benefits.
How PIP works
There are 2 parts to PIP:
- a daily living part – if you need help with everyday tasks
- a mobility part – if you need help with getting around
Whether you get one or both parts and how much you get depends on how difficult you find everyday tasks and getting around.
If you might have less than 6 months to live, you’ll automatically get the daily living part. Whether you get the mobility part depends on your needs. Find out how to claim and how much you’ll get if you might have 6 months or less to live.
Daily living part
You might get the daily living part of PIP if you need help with:
- eating, drinking or preparing food
- washing, bathing and using the toilet
- dressing and undressing
- reading and communicating
- managing your medicines or treatments
- making decisions about money
- socialising and being around other people
Mobility part
You might get the mobility part of PIP if you need help with:
- working out a route and following it
- physically moving around
- leaving your home
You do not have to have a physical disability to get the mobility part. You might also be eligible if you have difficulty getting around because of a cognitive or mental health condition, like anxiety.
How difficulty with tasks is assessed
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will assess how difficult you find daily living and mobility tasks. For each task they’ll look at:
- whether you can do it safely
- how long it takes you
- how often your condition affects this activity
- whether you need help to do it, from a person or using extra equipment
Your carer could get Carer’s Allowance if you have substantial caring needs.
You can read more about PIP on gov.uk Personal Independence Payment (PIP): What PIP is for – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
PIP Personal Independence Payment
How to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP): How to claim – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Calling to start your claim
Call the ‘PIP new claims’ phone line.
If you need someone to help you, you can:
- ask for them to be added to your call – you cannot do this if you use textphone
- ask someone else to call on your behalf – you’ll need to be with them when they call
You’ll need to give the following information:
- your contact details, for example telephone number
- your date of birth
- your National Insurance number, if you have one (you can find this on letters about tax, pensions and benefits)
- your bank or building society account number and sort code
- your doctor or health worker’s name, address and telephone number
- dates and addresses for any time you’ve spent in a care home or hospital
- dates for any time you spent abroad for more than 4 weeks at a time, and the countries you visited
PIP new claims
Telephone: 0800 917 2222 ( If you don’t understand the options, just wait until someone answers and ask for the interpreter )
Start your claim by post
You can start a claim by post instead, but it takes longer to get a decision.
Send a letter to ‘Personal Independence Payment New Claims’.
You’ll be sent a form asking for your personal information, such as your address and your age. Fill in and return the form.
You’ll then be sent a form which asks about your disability or condition.
Personal Independence Payment New Claims
Post Handling Site B
Wolverhampton
WV99 1AH
You can read more about “How to claim PIP” on gov.uk Personal Independence Payment (PIP): How to claim – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Attendance Allowance
You need to have reached State Pension age to claim Attendance Allowance. Attendance Allowance helps with extra costs if you have a disability severe enough that you need someone to help look after you.
It’s paid at 2 different rates and how much you get depends on the level of care that you need because of your disability.
You could get £61.85 or £92.40 a week to help with personal support if you’re both:
- physically or mentally disabled
- State Pension age or older
It does not cover mobility needs.
The other benefits you get can increase if you get Attendance Allowance.
You do not have to have someone caring for you in order to claim.
If you do have a carer, they could get Carer’s Allowance if you have substantial caring needs.
Attendance Allowance
Use the Attendance Allowance claim form to apply by post. The form comes with notes telling you how to fill it in.
Send the completed form to: Freepost DWP Attendance Allowance. You do not need a postcode or a stamp.
Call the Attendance Allowance helpline 0800 731 0122 to ask for:
- a copy of the form
You can read more about “How to claim Attendance Allowance” on gov.uk Attendance Allowance: How to claim – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Disability Living Allowance for Children
Information to come .
You can read more about DLA on gov.uk Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children: Overview – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
DLA for Children
Carer Allowance
Information to come .
You can read more about Carer Allowance on gov.uk Carer’s Allowance: How it works – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)