VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Employment and Support Allowance: National Insurance Contributions

Asked by Neil Duncan-JordanLabourDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled Answered 8 December 2025UIN 95516

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish the total amount of national insurance contributions made by recipients of Contributory Employment Support Allowance.

Answered by Sir Stephen Timms

Entitlement to contributory Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is based on a claimant’s National Insurance (NI) contribution record.

Aggregating each ESA claimant’s NI contributions would require detailed analysis of individual claimants’ administrative records across both DWP and HMRC and would incur disproportionate cost.

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim