DPW warns people on ESA 'you must act by deadline' or payments will stop

People on ESA have been warned to act now by the Department for Work and Pensions - or face payments STOPPING. The DWP could halt payments for ESA claimants, because of the managed migration process which is seeing Universal Credit replace old, legacy-style benefits.

You can apply for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if you have a disability or health condition that affects how much you can work. ESA gives you money to help with living costs if you’re unable to work and support to get back into work if you’re able to.

You can apply if you’re employed, self-employed or unemployed. The DWP is sending migration notices to those on ESA, urging them to switch to Universal Credit (UC) before ESA is phased out, with claimants having three months to act.

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The government has instructed those affected: "Move to Universal Credit if you get a migration notice letter. As one or more of your benefits will be ending soon, you need to move to Universal Credit." It adds: "To continue receiving financial support you must claim Universal Credit by the deadline date given in your letter.

"This is three months from the date the letter was sent out." If you get New Style ESA then your payments will be affected if you get more than £85 a week from a private pension. If you do, half of your private pension income over £85 will be subtracted from your ESA payments each week.

For example, if you get £100 a week from a private pension, then £7.50 will be subtracted from your ESA payment each week. If your private pension income is high enough, you could get no ESA payments. You would still get Class 1 National Insurance credits.

If your income-related ESA claim is ending because you’re making a new claim for Universal Credit, you’ll automatically continue to get the amount of ESA you currently receive, as long as you’re still eligible. You’ll normally get this for 2 weeks, starting from the date of your new claim.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will write to you telling you how this works.