DWP offering £300 a month ESA payment if you have any of these 23 health conditions

People who have certain health conditions could be entitled to over £300 each month in state benefits. The payments are called Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and are made through the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Here's everything we know about eligibility and how to apply.

What is the 'new style' ESA and are you eligible?

People are eligible for the 'new style' ESA if they are below state pension age and have a disability or health condition that impacts how much they can work.

People also must have both worked as an employee or been self-employed, and paid sufficient National Insurance contributions over the past two to three years. You won’t qualify for the new style ESA if you claim Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) or statutory sick pay, however you will if you receive universal credit at the same time.

Furthermore, if you receive both benefits your Universal Credit payment will be decreased by the amount you receive for the new style ESA.

There are a 23 groups of health conditions that are entitled for ESA. According to DWP data, these are:

• Certain infectious and parasitic diseases
• Neoplasms
• Diseases of the blood and blood forming organs and certain diseases involving the immune mechanism
• Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases
• Mental and behavioural disorders
• Diseases of the nervous system
• Diseases of the eye and adnexa
• Diseases of the ear and mastoid process
• Diseases of the circulatory system
• Diseases of the respiratory system
• Diseases of the digestive system
• Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous system
• Disease of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue
• Diseases of the genito-urinary system
• Pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium
• Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period
• Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities
• Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings not elsewhere classified
• Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes
• External causes of morbidity and mortality
• Factors influencing health status and contact with health services
• Codes for special purposes
• Unknown or claimants without diagnosis on the system

Read more ⋙ You may be eligible for £700 per month if you have any of these 20 health conditions

Read more:

⋙ You may be eligible for £156 per week if you have any of these 87 health conditions

⋙ You may be eligible for £4,800 per year if you have any of these 21 health conditions

How you can apply and rates available

You can apply for ESA onlineor by phone. After you’ve applied, the DWP will call you within 10 working days to schedule an appointment that you must attend, usually over the phone. At the appointment, you will be asked to provide evidence of your eligibility.

While your claim is being assessed, usually you will receive the 'assessment rate' for 13 weeks. The rates are:

• Up to £67.20 per week for under 25-year-olds
• Up to £84.80 per week for 25-year-olds and over

If you are found to be eligible for ESA, you will be put into one of two groups. If you’re able to return to work in the future, you will be placed into the work-related activity group. If not, you will be placed into the support group. The rates are:

• Up to £84.80 per week for work-related activity group
• Up to £128.85 per week for support group

You will receive your ESA payment every two weeks. If you’re in the support group, you’re also eligible to the enhanced disability premium. You may also be entitled for the severe disability premium. These are additional payments on top of your ESA and you can find out more about themonline.

Sources used:

LancsLive: 'DWP's 23 ESA health conditions that pay an extra £300 a month'

WalesOnline: 'DWP explains the 23 health conditions that qualify you for over £300 a month in employment and support allowance'

Gov.uk: 'Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)'