Changes to ESA and Universal Credit

Today the DWP has announced welcome changes to the rules governing Employment Support Allowance (ESA) and Universal Credit (UC).

ESA is a welfare benefit currently claimed by many people with MND and Universal Credit is due to be rolled out across the UK. Due to the rapidly debilitating nature of MND, many receive ESA at the higher rate, and are placed in the ESA ‘support group’. However, potentially, they can be reassessed for the benefit.

The DWP announcement states that people in the ESA ‘support group and UC claimants with limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA)’ will no longer need to be reassessed if they ‘have a severe, lifelong disability, illness or health condition’ and are unlikely to ever be able to work.

However, unfortunately, the exemption criteria will not automatically apply to existing claimants of ESA or UC, who may have to undergo a final reassessment before no further reassessments are approved. In the future though, once receiving the higher rate of ESA and UC, awards of the benefit should be lifelong for people with MND.

If you are affected by MND and experience any problems relating to any welfare benefit, please get in touch with our Welfare and Benefits Officers.