The Employment and Support Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016
These Regulations provide for a social security benefit to be known as an employment and support allowance (“ESA”), which replaces the existing benefit of the same name. The new benefit is for people who have a health condition or disability which limits their capability to work. People will only be able to claim the new benefit where they have made sufficient National Insurance contributions. People will no longer be able to claim ESA where they have low or no other income but have not made sufficient National Insurance contributions. Many rules for the existing benefit are replicated in these Regulations for the new benefit.