Employment and Support Allowance
Work and Pensions
Sheila Gilmore (Edinburgh East, Labour)
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what rate of Employment and Support Allowance is paid to applicants who have not been given an appointment for an Atos Assessment after 13 weeks; and if he will make a statement.
Chris Grayling (Minister of State (Employment), Work and Pensions; Epsom and Ewell, Conservative)
While awaiting a Work Capability Assessment a claimant is paid basic allowance of employment and support allowance (ESA). The rate is dependent on specific circumstances but currently it is £71.00 for a single person aged 25 or over—the same rate as jobseeker’s allowance.
This rate applies to the first 13 weeks of the claim after which an extra component is paid if the claimant is found to have a limited capability for work and is awarded ESA. The amount of the component depends on whether the claimant is placed in either the Work Related Activity Group or the Support Group.
If a claimant is assessed after 13 weeks and is found to be eligible for ESA, then the appropriate component rate is backdated to the same 13 week point in the claim.