ESA, or Employment and Support Allowance, refers to benefits that people in the United Kingdom are entitled to in case they are unable to work because of a disability or sickness. The benefit is in two categories, which are contribution-based and income-related. Contribution-based is taxable while income-related is not taxable.
The benefit is for people who have not gone above the State Pension age. To be eligible for this benefit, you also must have a disability or an illness that prevents you from working. The benefit is not for people who claim Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance or Statutory Sick Pay. People whose savings exceed £16,000 are not eligible for the benefit.
ESA Customer Services
The Employment and Support Allowance benefit helps you use the money to meet or pay for some of your basic needs. Before qualifying for the benefit, you have to undergo an intense medical assessment, which the government refers to as work capability assessment. The purpose of the assessment is to check if the illness or disability affects your ability to work.
If considered eligible for ESA, you will wait only a few days to receive the benefit in your account. The benefit ensures that you continue receiving financial assistance to help you lead a reasonable lifestyle rather than fall deeper into poverty. Moreover, the amount that successful applicants get differs from one person to the next.
Contacting ESA Customer Service
You should contact ESA customer service for more information regarding how to apply. You can do this by phone or through letters. If you prefer contacting customer service through phone, dial 0800 055 6688. Alternatively, the government has introduced the textphone service – 0800 023 4888 – to cater for customers who struggle with hearing and speech impairments.
The phone is the quickest method through which to contact customer service and obtain explanation on how to apply for the benefit. If you speak Welsh and prefer receiving instructions through it, the customer service number to call for assistance is 0800 012 1888. All the other ESA contact numbers, including textphone service, are for the English-speaking applicants.
ESA Contact Tips
Customer service at ESA operates between 8 am and 6 pm from Monday to Friday. The office remains closed during the weekends and public holidays. It costs nothing to call the customer service numbers that begin with 0800 since it is a free phone service that applicants in the United Kingdom receive. The free phone service stands if you call from mobile or landline.
