News
Conversion of incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance and income support into Employment Support Allowance.
Between 1 October 2010 and March 2014, DWP is converting incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance and income support claimed on disability grounds into ESA. People who receive these benefits will be transferred onto ESA without making a claim for it.
DWP states it will start re-assessing claims nationally from February 2011 but the process will take three years until March 2014.
DWP will convert incapacity benefit and SDA into contributory ESA, and income support into income related ESA. People will need to meet most of the conditions for entitlement to ESA or they will have to claim another benefit, for example, job seekers allowance.
ESA may include an additional amount on conversion known as a transitional addition which will reduce over time and eventually end. This is to ensure that ESA is not less than incapacity benefit on conversion.
