The DWP has confirmed the new rates of Employment and Support Allowance coming in from April 2025 (Image: Getty)

DWP announces all the new ESA benefit payment rates for 2025/2026

by · Birmingham Live

The Department for Work and Pensions has confirmed all the new rates of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) that will start from next April. Every element will go up by 1.7 per cent in line with September's inflation figure, with the same rise applied to other DWP and HMRC benefits apart from the State Pension.

ESA can be paid to those who have difficulty working because they have a disability or health condition. Those who will be able to go back to work in the future are put into the work-related activity group. Others who are unable to do so are put into the support group.

This is set to be the final set of increases for those on income-related ESA before this version of the benefit is axed at the end of the next financial year when everyone will have been moved on to Universal Credit instead.

Anyone who is on contribution-based ESA - where eligibility depends on having enough National Insurance contributions over the past two years - will be moved to its modern equivalent New Style ESA. This can be claimed alongside Universal Credit but is deducted in full from a person's monthly Universal Credit payment so you'll end up no better off financially but would receive your ESA payment separately every two weeks and qualify for a higher level of National Insurance credits towards a State Pension.

READ MORE:

Around 90,000 people claiming income-related ESA with tax credits were told to switch to Universal Credit from July. Another 800,000 who are claiming income-related ESA either on its own or with Housing Benefit started to receive Migration Notice letters in September, several years ahead of schedule. This group originally weren't due to be moved across until 2028/2029.

Sir Stephen Timms, the Minister for Social Security and Disability, has announced a £15 million funding boost to the Citizens Advice Help to Claim service so that ESA claimants can get all the assistance they need with moving to Universal Credit. Sir Stephen said the number of migration notices sent to people on ESA will steadily increase over the coming months under the "accelerated" transfer to Universal Credit, with 63,000 notices due to be sent each month from February until the end of the year.

All households will be moved from legacy benefits to Universal Credit by the end of March 2026, so everyone should have had their Migration Notice letters by December 2025.

These are the increases for all the different components of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) from April 2025. All are given as weekly rates, with ESA typically paid every two weeks. People in the ESA support group are moved into Universal Credit's equivalent category for 'limited capability for work and work-related activity.'

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) rates 2025/2026

Income-related ESA is expected to be scrapped at the end of the 2025/2026 financial year, while New Style ESA will continue. The new payment rates come into effect from April 7, 2025, the first full week of the new financial year.

Personal Allowances

Single

Single under 25: increasing from £71.70 to £72.90

Single 25 or over: increasing from £90.50 to £92.05

Lone parent under 18: increasing from £71.70 to £72.90

Lone parent 18 or over: increasing from £90.50 to £92.05

Couple

Both under 18: increasing from £71.70 to £72.90

Both under 18 with child: increasing from £108.30 to £110.15

Both under 18 (main phase): increasing from £90.50 to £92.05

Both under 18 with child (main phase): increasing from £142.25 to £144.65

One 18 or over, one under 18 (certain conditions apply): increasing from £142.25 to £144.65

Both over 18: increasing from £142.2 to £144.65

Claimant under 25, partner under 18: increasing from £71.70 to £72.90

Claimant 25 or over, partner under 18: increasing from £90.50 to £92.05

Claimant (main phase), partner under 18: increasing from £90.50 to £92.05

Premiums

Enhanced disability – single: increasing from £20.85 to £21.20

Enhance disability – couple: increasing from £29.75 to £30.25

Severe disability - single: increasing from £81.50 to £82.90

Severe disability - couple (lower rate): increasing from £81.50 to £82.90

Severe disability - couple (higher rate): increasing from £163.00 to £165.80

Carer: increasing from £45.60 to £46.40

Pensioner

Single with work-related activity component: increasing from £91.70 to £98.50

Single with support component: increasing from £79.95 to £86.55

Single with no component: increasing from £127.65 to £135.05

Couple with work-related activity component: increasing from £154.75 to £165.40

Couple with support component: increasing from £143 to £153.45

Couple with no component: increasing from £190.70 to £201.95

Components

Work-related activity group: increasing from £35.95 to £36.55

Support group: increasing from £47.70 to £48.50

Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp. Join our dedicated community for the latest updates. You can find out more in our Money Saving Newsletter, which is sent out daily with all the updates you need to know on pensions, PIP, Universal Credit, benefits, finances, bills, and shopping discounts.