lastID = -271657
Skip to main content
Skip to top navigation
Skip to site search
Action menu options
My citations options
Close action menu
You need to
login to use this feature
.
Please wait while we update your results...
Please wait while we update your results...
Please wait a moment...
Site search
Search Welfare Rights
Search
Accessibility Options
Base text size -
This is a sample piece of body text
Larger
Smaller
Menu
Log in
Log in
CPAG Home
Benefit rates
Shop
Training & events
Support for advisers
Advice line for advisers
Support for advisers in England and Wales
Support for advisers in Scotland
Tell us about your case
Handbooks
Online handbooks
Print handbooks
Key topics
PIP appeals
Universal credit
Migration to universal credit
Survivors of domestic abuse
Benefits for migrants
Debt
Housing costs
Personal independence payment
Sanctions and work-related requirements
Work capability assessment
Tools & templates
About our tools and templates
Universal credit
Migration to universal credit
Benefits for migrants
Personal independence payment
Work capability assessment
Revision, supersession and appeal procedure
Judicial review
All tools and templates
Benefits in Scotland
Scottish benefits
More information about benefits in Scotland
Other CPAG resources on benefits in Scotland
Updates & articles
Welfare Rights Bulletin
Articles
Early Warning System updates
Updates from CPAG in Scotland
Welfare reform
What's new for advisers
Test cases & caselaw
About CPAG test cases
Updates on CPAG test cases
Support with an Upper Tribunal case
Support with the judicial review process
Caselaw summaries
Disability Rights Handbook 2026-27
This content was last updated:
01 Jun 2026
6. Do you qualify?
Disability Rights Handbook 2026-27
View
Details
Print
Share
Email
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
view
View
Details
Print
Share
Share
Email
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
6. Do you qualify?
Back to previous
6. Do you qualify?
To be entitled to ESA, you need to meet all the following basic qualifying conditions:
■
You have a limited capability for work – see
Chapter 12(2)
.
■
You meet the contribution conditions – see
17 below
.
■
You have accepted a claimant commitment, if required to do so – see
Chapter 17(2)
.
■
You are aged 16 or over.
■
You are under pension age – see
Chapter 42(2)
.
■
You are not in work – see
below
.
■
You are in Great Britain (GB). You can, however, continue to be entitled to ESA during a temporary absence from GB (see
Chapter 52(5)
).
■
You are not entitled to jobseeker’s allowance.
■
You are not within a period of entitlement to statutory sick pay – see
Chapter 10(4)
.
WRA 2007
, Ss.1(2)-(3) & 20(1);
ESA Regs, reg 37(1)
Work
You are generally not entitled to ESA in any week in which you work. This means any work you do, whether or not you expect to be paid for it.
ESA Regs, reg 37(1)&(8)
Work you can do
– There are certain types of work that you can do and still be entitled
You need to be a subscriber to see this page
Log in if you're already a subscriber or view our subscription options
Log in
View our subscription options
Purchase online access to the section for £0.00
Illustrations
Previous
Next
Chris Lewis. "6. Do you qualify?." In
Disability Rights Handbook 2026-27.
, 2026. Accessed September 29, 2026.
CPAG,
https://askcpag.org.uk/?id=-271657CITANCHOR.
Chris Lewis. "6. Do you qualify?." In
Disability Rights Handbook 2026-27.
, 2026. Accessed September 29, 2026. https://askcpag.org.uk/?id=-271657CITANCHOR.
Contributor(s):
Chris Lewis
Title:
Disability Rights Handbook 2026-27
Site name:
CPAG
Publisher:
Publication date:
May 20, 2026
Date accessed:
September 29, 2026
URL:
https://askcpag.org.uk/?id=-271657CITANCHOR
height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden">
Default