The Department for Work and Pensions is making major changes to Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), a benefit for those who find it difficult to work because they are sick or disabled.

All remaining recipients of income-related ESA are being moved over to Universal Credit over the course of this financial year. This is because income-related ESA is one of six legacy benefits that are being replaced by Universal Credit.

Anyone whose ESA claim partly consists of the contribution-based version will find it swapped over to New Style ESA and deducted in full from their Universal Credit payments, so they are no better off having both benefits at the same time.

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