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Employment
and Support Allowance update
Employment and Support Allowance
(ESA) will be introduced
this October. This replaces Incapacity Benefit and Income Support on
the grounds of incapacity for new claims.
As part of the ESA process, all
persons claiming will undergo a Work Capability Assessment.
This will look at what they are able to do in the workplace and will
determine which benefit rate they receive.
When ESA launches this autumn,
these rates will apply:
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The
basic rate will be £60.50 a week, same as Jobseeker’s
Allowance for people aged 25 and over.
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The
standard rate after thirteen weeks on ESA will be £84.50 a
week. This is the rate that most people will receive and is
the same as the long-term Incapacity Benefit rate.
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The
rate for the most severely disabled will be £89.50 a week
after thirteen weeks on ESA. An additional £12.60 will
automatically be paid on top if people have no other income.
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It
is estimated more people will not pass the Work Capability
Assessment compared to the old assessment – resulting in 20,000
fewer people joining the sickness benefits system each year. People
who do not satisfy the assessment will have to claim Jobseeker’s
Allowance and will be expected to attend interviews and work
programmes to help them return to work.
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