Step two: work out your applicable amount
This is an amount for basic weekly needs. It is made up of personal allowances (see below), premiums (see here), housing costs (see here) and either a work-related activity component or a support component (see here). Work out your applicable amount by adding together your personal allowance, premiums, eligible housing costs and, once you have been getting ESA for 13 weeks, either the work-related activity component or the support component. Note: from 3 April 2017, the work-related activity component was abolished for most new claims.
The first 13 weeks is called the ‘assessment phase’ and from week 14 it is called the ‘main phase’. Income-related ESA does not include amounts for children.
Personal allowance
Your personal allowance is paid at either the single, lone parent or couple rate depending on your situation. The amount depends on your age and whether you are in the assessment phase or the main phase.
Weekly rate | Assessment phase (weeks 1–13) £ | Main phase (week 14 onwards) £ |
Single | | |
Under 25 | 59.20 | 74.70 |
25 or over | 74.70 | 74.70 |
Lone parent | | |
Under 18 | 59.20 | 74.70 |
18 or over | 74.70 | 74.70 |
Couple | | |
Both under 18 (higher rate) | 89.45 | 117.40 |
Both under 18 (if not eligible for higher rate) | 59.20 | 74.70 |
One under 18, one 18 or over (higher rate) | 117.40 | 117.40 |
One under 18, one 18–24 (if not eligible for higher rate) | 59.20 | 74.70 |
One under 18, one 25 or over (if not eligible for higher rate) | 74.70 | 74.70 |
Both 18 or over | 117.40 | 117.40 |
If you are both under 18, you get the higher rate if:
•one of you is responsible for a child; or
•both you and your partner would be eligible to claim income-related ESA if you were single; or
•your partner would qualify for IS if s/he were single; or
•your partner would qualify for income-based JSA or severe hardship payments of JSA.
If one of you is under 18 and the other is 18 or over, you get the higher rate if the younger person would:
•qualify for IS or income-related ESA if s/he were single; or
•qualify for income-based JSA or severe hardship payments of JSA.
Premiums
Whether or not you qualify for premiums depends on your circumstances. You qualify for:
•pensioner premium of £152.90 if your partner has reached pension age (see here). In the main phase, these amounts are reduced by the amount of the work-related activity component or support component for which you qualify; •carer premium of £37.70 in the same way as you would for IS (see here); •enhanced disability premium if you or your partner get the highest rate disability living allowance care component, the enhanced rate of personal independence payment daily living component or you get the ESA support component. It is not included if either partner is over pension age. It is £17.20 if you are single and £24.60 for a couple;
•severe disability premium of £67.30 in the same way as you would for IS (see here).
Housing costs
If you own your own home, income-related ESA can help with certain service charges. Normally, help only starts once you have been getting ESA for 39 weeks.
Components
In the main phase, which usually starts 14 weeks after you claim, you are placed in either the ‘work-related activity’ group or the ‘support’ group depending on your ability to undertake work-focused interviews and other work-related activity. If you are in the support group, you get a support component of £39.40 a week. For claims that started before 3 April 2017, or are linked to a claim which existed before that date, if you are in the work-related activity group you get a work-related activity component of £29.70 a week. Claims made from 3 April 2017 do not include the work-related activity component. For more details about these rules, see CPAG’s Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook.