How to Claim for ESA - Employment and Support Allowance.

There are two basic ways you can claim ESA Employment and Support Allowance. You can either do it by phone, or you can download a form from the DWP website - see below - and fill in the firm and then send it to your local Jobcentre.

First of all, make sure that you are eligible to claim ESA by going through the details on our main ESA page.

Telephone Claim for ESA.

If you decide to claim by telephone one of the advisors will fill in the form for you. No need for you to fill in any form at that stage.

You can also use Textphone (This is NOT Texting a message) if you have if you have one. (A Textphone is a special phone for people who have hearing or speaking problems. If you do not have your own Textphone, you local library ot the local CAB will probably have one that you may use.)

If you wish to make a claim by 'phone or Textphone, you can do it between the hours of 8.00am through to 6.00pm. This service is available from Monday to Friday. NOT weekends.

The phone numbers are

Normal phone/mobile - 0800 055 6688 - Free calls with BT land lines. Mobiles will probably be charged by their supplier! As far as we are aware, the following suppliers will not charge you PLEASE CHECK about 0800 numbers - O2, Orange, Vodafone, T-Mobile, Virgin Media and Tesco Mobile.

Textphone users - 0800 023 4888.

Don't forget, the advisor at the other end will fill in your ESA application Form for you if you decide to do it by phone.

Claiming by filling in the form yourself.

If you prefer to fill in your own form, then you will firstly have to download it and print it from the Department of Work and Pensions website. Here's a link direct to the PDF form for you to download. 'Claim form ESA1for you to print off

There is an alternative form that you can fill in by sitting at your computer - interactive. You will still have to then download it and print it and then send it off!! If you want to try this way - this is the link to the interactive form Claim form ESA1 Interactive - for you to fill in on your computer.

You still have to download it once you have filled it in, print it and send it off by post.

Be aware that the form is 52 pages long!!!! Far better to make an application by phone we think

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