New style Jobseeker’s Allowance and new style Employment and Support Allowance are paid on the strength of your National Insurance record rather than your income, so savings and a partner’s earnings do not affect them. Both pay £75.65 a week under 25 and £95.55 from 25 in 2026/27. JSA lasts up to 182 days. ESA pays the same rates during a 13-week assessment phase and then £95.55 a week in the work-related activity group, for up to a year, or £145.90 a week in the support group for as long as the illness lasts. Both can be claimed alongside Universal Credit, which treats them as income pound for pound.
The rates
| Benefit | Under 25 | 25 and over | How long |
|---|---|---|---|
| New style JSA | £75.65 | £95.55 | Up to 182 days |
| New style ESA, assessment phase | £75.65 | £95.55 | First 13 weeks |
| New style ESA, work-related activity group | £95.55 | £95.55 | Up to 365 days including the assessment phase |
| New style ESA, support group | £145.90 | £145.90 | No time limit while the conditions are met |
Both benefits are paid fortnightly in arrears and are taxable, although a claimant with no other income in the year stays within the personal allowance. Over the maximum 26 weeks new style JSA at the 25 and over rate comes to £2,484.30; a year in the ESA support group is £7,586.80. The JSA calculator and ESA calculator show the weekly, monthly and total figures for your age, phase and pension income.
Who qualifies on National Insurance
New style JSA needs Class 1 National Insurance from employment in the two complete tax years before the year of the claim, broadly meaning you were employed and earning above the lower earnings limit for most of that period; self-employed contributions do not count. New style ESA accepts Class 1 or Class 2 contributions, so the self-employed can qualify. National Insurance credits received while on other benefits or caring count towards the second condition in both cases. Someone made redundant after years of employment will almost always satisfy the tests for JSA, which is why it is the first benefit to claim after losing a job even where savings rule out Universal Credit; our redundancy pay guide covers what a redundancy payment does and does not affect.
Pensions and earnings
A private or occupational pension in payment reduces new style JSA by £1 for every £1 over £50 a week, so a pension of £80 a week cuts the 25 and over rate from £95.55 to £65.55, and a pension of £145.55 or more removes it. For new style ESA the disregard is £85 a week and only half the excess is deducted: a pension of £185 a week takes £50 off. Earnings from work end a JSA claim beyond a small amount and a few hours; ESA allows permitted work of under 16 hours a week up to a weekly earnings limit without affecting the benefit, which must be declared in advance.
How ESA is assessed
A new ESA claim starts with fit notes from a GP and a Work Capability Assessment, usually within the first 13 weeks although delays are common; the assessment phase rate continues until the decision and any arrears of the higher rate are paid from week 14. The assessment scores descriptors covering physical and mental functions. Enough points, or a descriptor that applies automatically, places the claimant in the work-related activity group, where the personal rate continues for up to 365 days with a requirement to attend work-focused interviews, or in the support group, where the higher rate is paid indefinitely with no work-related conditions. The support group also exempts a household from the benefit cap, as our benefit cap guide explains.
Alongside Universal Credit
New style JSA and ESA are deducted in full from any Universal Credit award, so a household entitled to Universal Credit gains nothing extra in cash from the contribution-based benefit. The reasons to claim both are that JSA and ESA are paid regardless of savings above £16,000 and a partner’s income, that they earn Class 1 National Insurance credits, and that ESA in the support group establishes the limited capability for work and work-related activity element within Universal Credit without a second assessment. Our Universal Credit rates guide sets out the standard allowances and the health element.
Common questions
How much is new style JSA in 2026/27? £75.65 a week under 25 and £95.55 a week from 25, for up to 182 days, based on National Insurance contributions rather than income.
How much is ESA in 2026/27? £75.65 or £95.55 a week during the 13-week assessment phase, then £95.55 in the work-related activity group or £145.90 in the support group.
Does a pension reduce JSA or ESA? Yes. JSA falls by £1 for every £1 of pension over £50 a week; ESA falls by 50p for every £1 over £85 a week.
Can I get JSA if I have savings? Yes. New style JSA ignores savings and a partner’s income. Universal Credit does not, so someone with more than £16,000 in savings may qualify only for JSA.
How long does new style ESA last? Up to 365 days in the work-related activity group. In the support group there is no time limit while the health conditions continue to be met.
Is JSA or ESA taxable? Both are taxable, but a claimant with little other income in the tax year will usually pay nothing because of the personal allowance.
Information, not financial advice. Rates are the published 2026/27 figures on gov.uk: New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance and gov.uk: Employment and Support Allowance; the pension rules are from the JSA and ESA Regulations 2013. Entitlement depends on your National Insurance record, so check with the DWP or a welfare rights adviser before acting on them.