Employment and Support Allowance - eligibility

You may be able to get Employment and Support Allowance if you have an illness or disability that affects your ability to work. Find out if you might be eligible for the two kinds available.


Who can get Employment and Support Allowance

You may be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance if any of the following apply to you:

    * your Statutory Sick Pay has ended, or you cannot get it
    * you are self employed or unemployed
    * you have been getting Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) and have not gone back to work for your employer because you have an illness or disability which affects your ability to work
    * you are under State Pension age

You must also either:

    * have had an illness or disability which affects your ability to work for at least four days in a row (including weekends and public holidays)
    * be unable to work for two or more days out of seven consecutive days
    * be getting special medical treatment

If you are aged between 16 and 20 (or under 25 if you were in education or training at least three months immediately before turning 20), you must:

    * have been too ill to work because of an illness or disability for at least 28 weeks (this limitation only applies to contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance, but you may still be eligible for income-based Employment and Support Allowance)
    * have been too ill to work before you turned 20 (or 25 if you were in education or training at least three months immediately before turning 20)

READ MORE...[url]http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/FinancialSupport/esa/DG_171891[/url]