If your ESA is ending because of the 1-year limit

This advice applies to Scotland. See advice for See advice for England, See advice for Northern Ireland, See advice for Wales

If you’re in the work-related activity group, any new style or contribution-based ESA you get will stop at the end of 1 year. They won’t stop if you’re in the support group – check your award letter if you’re not sure.

You don’t need to do anything. You’ll get the same amount of money when your contribution-based ESA stops.

At the end of the year, the amount of your income-related ESA will go up and it will replace your contribution-based ESA.

If you’re not sure what type of ESA you get

You can ask the DWP by:

  • writing to the address on your ESA letters

  • calling the Jobcentre Plus

Jobcentre Plus

Telephone: 0800 169 0310

Textphone: 0800 169 0314

Welsh language: 0800 328 1744

Relay UK - if you can't hear or speak on the phone, you can type what you want to say: 18001 then 0800 169 0310

You can use Relay UK with an app or a textphone. There’s no extra charge to use it. Find out how to use Relay UK on the Relay UK website.

Video relay - if you use British Sign Language (BSL).  

You can find out how to use video relay on YouTube.

Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm

Calls are free from mobiles and landlines.

Check what you can do if your ESA is ending

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will have written to you to tell you when your ESA will stop and why. The letter will also tell you how you can appeal the decision.

If you haven't had a medical assessment yet

If the DWP hasn't assessed you after 365 days, they will stop your new style or contribution-based ESA. 

If you think you should be in the support group, you should challenge the DWP’s decision. 

The 365 day time limit on payment doesn’t apply if you should be in the support group. If you’re not sure, check which group you should be in.

You can check how to challenge the decision to stop your ESA. Tell the DWP your ESA shouldn’t have ended because you haven’t been assessed. You should start your challenge within 1 month of the DWP writing to you to say your ESA will stop.

If your condition has got worse or you’ve got a new condition

You can keep getting ESA if your condition means you would now be put in the support group. If you’re not sure, check which group you should be in.

If your condition changes before your ESA stops

You can check how to challenge the decision to stop your ESA. You should start your challenge within 1 month of the DWP writing to you to say your ESA will stop.

Send the DWP any evidence you’ve got that your condition has changed since they last assessed you – for example, letters from your doctor. The DWP are more likely to change their decision if you’ve sent them evidence. 

After you challenge the decision, the DWP might invite you to a work capability assessment. This is to check if you should be in the support group. You can check how to prepare for the work capability assessment.

If your condition changes after your ESA stops

You can ask the DWP to start your ESA claim going again if you would now be put in the support group.

Tell the DWP about your condition by either:

  • writing to the address on your ESA letters

  • calling the Jobcentre Plus

Jobcentre Plus

Telephone: 0800 169 0310

Textphone: 0800 169 0314

Welsh language: 0800 328 1744

Relay UK - if you can't hear or speak on the phone, you can type what you want to say: 18001 then 0800 169 0310

You can use Relay UK with an app or a textphone. There’s no extra charge to use it. Find out how to use Relay UK on the Relay UK website.

Video relay - if you use British Sign Language (BSL).  

You can find out how to use video relay on YouTube.

Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm

Calls are free from mobiles and landlines.

The DWP might ask you to fill in a new claim form.

If they refuse to start your ESA again, check how to challenge the DWP’s decision. You should start your challenge within 1 month of the decision.

If you’ve got no income or a low income

You might be able to claim a benefit that’s worked out based on your income.

What you can claim depends on which type of ESA you’ve been getting.

If you’ve been getting new style ESA

You might be able to claim Universal Credit – check if you can claim Universal Credit.

If you’ve been getting contribution-based ESA

You might be able to add income-related ESA to your claim.

To add income-related ESA, you don’t need to make a new claim. Ask the DWP for a ‘supersession’ of the decision to end your claim – this means they’ll update their decision. You can ask for a supersession by either:

  • writing to the address on your ESA letters

  • calling the Jobcentre Plus

Jobcentre Plus

Telephone: 0800 169 0310

Textphone: 0800 169 0314

Welsh language: 0800 328 1744

Relay UK - if you can't hear or speak on the phone, you can type what you want to say: 18001 then 0800 169 0310

You can use Relay UK with an app or a textphone. There’s no extra charge to use it. Find out how to use Relay UK on the Relay UK website.

Video relay - if you use British Sign Language (BSL).  

You can find out how to use video relay on YouTube.

Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm

Calls are free from mobiles and landlines.

If your ESA has already stopped

If you have no income or a low income, you might be able to make a new claim for Universal Credit. You can check if you can claim Universal Credit.

If it’s been 12 or more weeks since your ESA stopped, you might be able to make a new claim for ESA. You can check if you can make a new ESA claim.

You can also check what other help you can get if you’re struggling with living costs.

Page last reviewed on 01 May 2020