Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) introduction
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) provides financial help to people who are unable to work because of illness or disability. It also provides personalised support to those who are unable to work.
Information for customers
This information is for Northern Ireland only.
If you live in England, Scotland or Wales visit https://www.gov.uk/employment-support-allowance
Read more information about Employment and Support Allowance on nidirect:
Making a claim
To make an Employment and Support Allowance claim:
- visit Claim New Style Employment and Support Allowance (NI only)
- freephone 0800 085 6318 (NI only)
- textphone 0800 328 3419 (for deaf or hard of hearing users and claimants with speech difficulties) (NI only)
Advisers and customer representatives
Employment and Support Allowance is designed to enable your clients or constituents to achieve their full potential through work, and to support those for whom work is not a viable option. The Department aims to work closely with advisers, customer representative groups and elected representatives to ensure our shared customers get the information, advice and support they need.
Healthcare professionals
Employment and Support Allowance has not meant significant changes to the way healthcare professionals deal with patients or the paperwork they complete. The Department already asks GPs to fill in forms to provide us with information about patients, and some of the forms have changed.
Employers
If any of your employees are receiving Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) and this were to stop or no longer be payable, that employee may well transfer to Employment and Support Allowance. For this to happen, you are required to supply them with an SSP1 form.