New ESA claimant

Hi Folks
Can anyone advise me whether I'm allowed to claim ESA when my SSP runs out in January. I've been told by DWP people that that's the next benefit to apply for?
I'm still employed but moving onto half my salary in January, I'm not sure whether the DWP would regard my half pay as enough and discount me?
I'm off work with mental health problems and currently medicated. I'm in regular contact with my gp, occupational health and awaiting community mental health appointment for talking therapy.
Hope this all makes sense? I'm going to be in a mkess when my employer reduces my salary

Provided that you have limited capacity for work (see our guide to ESA for details) and are not entitled to SSP, I cannot see why you cannot put in a claim for ESA.

However, whether you get contributions-based ESA will depend upon your NI contributions record and if you don't qualify for contributions-based ESA, your pay will be taken into account when assessing how much ESA you will get.

Hello Spectrun61.
You would generally qualify for ESA (cont) if you have paid enough Class 1 or 2 contributions for one of the last three years.

I ended up getting a combination of both Cont and IB ESA!

ranald

I think for contribution based benefit you also need credits paid for a year as well as 1 years class 1 or 2 paid for 1 of the last 3 years.

My wife has just been refused contribution benefit even though she has worked for the previous 13 months apparently she has not had credits awarded for 1 of the previous 2 years.

Good luck.