7. Other benefits and tax credits

You cannot get employment and support allowance (ESA) if you are getting statutory sick pay (SSP) from an employer.1s20 WRA 2007 SSP runs out after 28 weeks, after which you can claim ESA.

You can claim contributory ESA and have this topped up by universal credit (UC). You cannot get ESA if you are getting income support (IS) or jobseeker’s allowance (JSA). You can claim contributory ESA if your partner is getting IS or JSA. You are excluded if you get joint-claim JSA.2s1(3)(f) WRA 2007

Income-related ESA passports you to maximum housing benefit, free school lunches, budgeting loans, Best Start grants, Scottish child payment and funeral support payments. It also passports you to free dental treatment, vouchers for glasses, and to Best Start foods if you or your partner are pregnant or have a child under three (see Chapter 5 and Chapter 13). You may also be eligible for a school clothing grant - see mygov.scot/clothing-grants.

If you have a child(ren) and a partner and you get contributory ESA, you may be eligible for working tax credit (but only if you already get child tax credit) (see here) if your partner works 16 hours or more a week, rather than the usual 24 hours.

ESA is taken into account when calculating whether the benefit cap applies, unless you or your partner get a support component in your ESA. If this is the case, you are exempt from the benefit cap (see here and here).

 

1     s20 WRA 2007 »

2     s1(3)(f) WRA 2007 »