New Style ESA Calculator 2026 — Rates, WCA Groups & Eligibility
Check your National Insurance eligibility, estimate your weekly amount at each stage, understand the Work Capability Assessment, and see what April 2026 changed for LCWRA payments.
New Style ESA 2026 — What It Is & Current Rates
New Style ESA (Employment and Support Allowance) is a contribution-based benefit that supports people who cannot work due to illness or disability. Unlike means-tested benefits, eligibility depends on your National Insurance record — not your income, savings, or partner's earnings. Someone with £50,000 in savings qualifies for the same weekly rate as someone with nothing, provided the NI conditions are met.
Income-related ESA — the older means-tested version — formally ended in April 2026 when managed migration to Universal Credit was completed. New Style ESA remains open to new claims and can be paid alongside Universal Credit, though your ESA amount is deducted pound-for-pound from any UC award.
| Rate type | 2025/26 | 2026/27 | +3.8% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment phase / WRAG personal allowance (under 25) | £72.90 | £75.65 | +£2.75 |
| Assessment phase / WRAG personal allowance (25+) | £92.05 | £95.55 | +£3.50 |
| Support Component (added to personal allowance) | £48.55 | £50.35 | +£1.80 |
| Support Group total (25+) | £140.60 | £145.90 | +£5.30 |
| Permitted work earnings limit | £183.50 | £195.50 | +£12.00 |
| Pension deduction threshold | £85.00 | £85.00 | unchanged |
ESA is paid every 2 weeks, in arrears, directly into your bank account. All rates are taxable. If your occupational or private pension exceeds £85/week, ESA reduces by 50p for every £1 above that — the State Pension does not count for this deduction.
National Insurance Eligibility — The Two Conditions
To qualify for New Style ESA you must meet both of the following NI conditions, checked against the two complete tax years before the benefit year in which your limited capability for work begins. For a 2026 claim, those years are 2023/24 and 2024/25.
You must have paid or been credited with Class 1 or 2 NI contributions on earnings at the lower earnings limit for at least 26 weeks in at least one of the two relevant tax years. The 26 weeks do not need to be consecutive, but must be within the same tax year.
Lower earnings limit 2023/24: £123/week · 2024/25: £123/week
In both 2023/24 and 2024/25, you must have paid or been credited with contributions on earnings of at least 50 × the lower earnings limit — approximately £6,150 per year (50 × £123).
Credits from certain benefits (Carer's Allowance, UC, maternity pay) count — not just paid employment.
⚠️ Cannot claim alongside these benefits
You cannot receive New Style ESA at the same time as: Statutory Sick Pay (SSP — but you may claim ESA once your 28-week SSP entitlement ends), Carer's Allowance, or the State Retirement Pension. If you are already receiving one of these, New Style ESA will not be payable.The Work Capability Assessment — How You Are Placed
Every New Style ESA claimant goes through a Work Capability Assessment (WCA), usually after 13 weeks. The WCA is initially paper-based — you complete a UC50 form describing how your condition affects daily activities — and may progress to a phone or face-to-face consultation with a health professional. The assessor does not make the final decision; a DWP Decision Maker does, usually following the assessor's recommendation.
Points from physical and mental health activities can be combined. Scoring 15 points places you in LCW (WRAG). Meeting one LCWRA descriptor places you in the Support Group regardless of total score.
Three possible outcomes
| Outcome | Weekly ESA | Work expectations | Time limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fit for work (under 15 pts) | £0 | ESA ends; move to UC or JSA | — |
| WRAG (15+ pts, no LCWRA descriptor) | £95.55 | Work-focused interviews with adviser | 52 weeks |
| Support Group (meets LCWRA descriptor) | £145.90 | None — no work-related conditions | No limit |
Key WCA physical descriptors (selected — higher-scoring)
This is a condensed selection. The full WCA has 17 physical and mental health activities. Only the highest-scoring descriptor from each activity counts — you cannot add multiple descriptors from the same activity. Points across different activities do combine.
The April 2026 LCWRA Change — Two Rates Now Exist
From 6 April 2026, a significant reform changed how much the LCWRA element pays in Universal Credit for new claimants. This does not change the New Style ESA Support Group rate (still £145.90/week), but it directly affects how much extra UC support a Support Group equivalent claimant receives alongside or instead of New Style ESA.
Standard LCWRA — new claims from 6 April 2026
Higher LCWRA — existing & severe conditions
⚠️ Who qualifies for the higher LCWRA rate in 2026
To get the higher rate (£429.80/month) as a new claimant from April 2026, you must either: (a) have a terminal illness confirmed by a clinician with an expected life expectancy of 12 months or less, or (b) meet the new Severe Conditions criteria — which requires meeting an automatic LCWRA descriptor constantly and permanently (not intermittently), from a specific diagnosed condition that will last for life, confirmed by a qualified healthcare professional. Exactly how "Severe Conditions" will be applied in practice is still being tested at Tribunal level. Citizens Advice or Scope can advise on specific cases.Three Worked Examples
NI record: worked in both 2023/24 and 2024/25. Both conditions met.
She receives a works pension of £120/week. Deduction: (£120 − £85) × 50% = £17.50. Her ESA is £145.90 − £17.50 = £128.40/week.
How to Claim New Style ESA — Step by Step
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1
Get a fit note from your GP
You need a fit note confirming your health condition and its expected duration. A note covering at least 13 weeks is needed to take you through the assessment phase. You will need to keep submitting fit notes throughout your claim. -
2
Apply online or by phone
Apply at gov.uk/employment-support-allowance or call the ESA claim line on 0800 328 5644. You can claim New Style ESA even if you also intend to claim Universal Credit — apply for both separately. -
3
Complete the UC50 (capability for work) form
After around 4 weeks you'll receive the UC50 questionnaire. Describe how your condition affects you on a bad day, not your best day. Be specific about frequency, duration, and what happens when you try to do an activity without help. Vague answers like "I struggle" score far fewer points than "I can walk no more than 30 metres before I need to sit down due to severe leg pain." -
4
Provide supporting evidence
Attach GP letters, specialist reports, medication lists, care plans, or OT assessments. The DWP will also contact your GP directly, but evidence you supply describing functional limitations (not just diagnosis) significantly strengthens the case. -
5
Attend assessment if required
Not everyone is called for a consultation. If you are, it may be by phone or video rather than in person. You can bring a support person. The assessor writes a report — you can request a copy. -
6
Challenge a refusal — Mandatory Reconsideration
If the DWP places you in a lower group than expected or finds you fit for work, request a Mandatory Reconsideration in writing within 1 month. Then appeal to the First-tier Tribunal if still unsuccessful. Tribunal appeal success rates for ESA are consistently over 60% for those who attend in person with representation.
Mistakes That Cost Points or Delay Claims
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Describing your best-day functioning
The WCA asks what you can do reliably, repeatedly, safely, and within a reasonable time. If walking 200m causes severe pain, you cannot reliably walk 200m — describe your reliable distance, not your maximum possible effort. Bad-day descriptions that match the descriptors score; best-day answers often score zero.
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Not claiming before SSP ends
You cannot receive Statutory Sick Pay and New Style ESA at the same time, but you can apply for ESA before your SSP runs out so that your claim starts immediately at the end of the 28-week SSP period. Waiting until SSP has actually stopped before applying can create a payment gap of several weeks.
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Assuming NI credits from benefits don't count
Many people think only paid employment counts toward the NI conditions. Credits from UC, Carer's Allowance, maternity pay, and other sources count too. People who were caring full-time or unemployed may still meet the second condition through credits — check your NI record before assuming you don't qualify.
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Missing the Mandatory Reconsideration deadline
You have 1 month from the decision letter to request a Mandatory Reconsideration. After that you need to explain the delay. Many people who are refused Support Group (or found fit for work) accept the decision without realising the appeal success rates — over 60% at tribunal when attended in person.
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Earning over the permitted work limit
You can do permitted work — fewer than 16 hours per week, earning no more than £195.50/week after tax and NI — without affecting your ESA. Exceeding either limit (hours or earnings) risks the entire award, not just the excess. The limit applies to paid work; volunteering and caring do not count.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I claim New Style ESA and Universal Credit at the same time?
Yes. You can receive both, but your New Style ESA is deducted pound-for-pound from any UC award. The benefit of claiming both — rather than just UC — is that New Style ESA earns you Class 1 NI credits, which count toward your future State Pension and other contribution-based benefits. This applies even to self-employed claimants.
What happens after 52 weeks in the WRAG?
The 52-week time limit only applies to New Style ESA in the WRAG — not to the Support Group. After 52 weeks, WRAG claimants stop receiving New Style ESA. If you still cannot work, you can continue to claim support through Universal Credit, which has no time limit and includes a separate LCW work allowance if you have a health condition.
Is New Style ESA taxable?
Yes. New Style ESA is taxable income, unlike PIP, DLA, or Attendance Allowance. The amount paid is normally within the personal allowance (£12,570/year in 2026/27) for most claimants, meaning most people pay no tax on it — but if you have other taxable income, including an occupational pension, the combination may push you into a tax liability.
What changed about LCWRA from April 2026?
The assessment criteria for LCWRA did not change — 15 points plus meeting at least one LCWRA descriptor is still required. What changed is how much UC pays for it. New applicants from 6 April 2026 receive £217.26/month rather than the previous £429.80/month, unless they have a terminal illness or meet the new Severe Conditions criteria (permanent, life-long diagnosis with a specific constant LCWRA descriptor confirmed by a clinician).
Will ESA still exist in 2028?
Under current government plans, New Style ESA and Jobseeker's Allowance are scheduled to merge into a new Unemployment Insurance benefit from 2028/29. The new benefit is planned to be contribution-based (not means-tested), paid at the same rate as ESA, but with a time limit for all claimants. There will be exceptions for disability and health conditions — but the exact rules are still under consultation and may change before implementation.
Can I do voluntary work while claiming New Style ESA?
Yes. Voluntary work does not count toward the permitted work earnings or hours limits. You can volunteer regardless of which group you are in — WRAG or Support Group — without it affecting your New Style ESA. Inform your work coach if you are in the WRAG, as voluntary work can count toward work-related activity requirements.
Rates sourced from DWP Benefit and Pension Rates 2026 to 2027. WCA descriptors from Disability Rights UK. LCWRA reform from Advicenow and Citizens Advice. This page is for informational purposes only — contact Citizens Advice for personalised guidance.