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<p>Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is an earnings replacement benefit which
has both contributory and income-related elements.</p><p> </p><p>The structure of
ESA means that those who are most in need can still be protected by the income-related
element of the benefit even if no National Insurance contributions have been made.
The principle of National Insurance is that, by paying a minimum level of contributions,
people insure themselves against a range of risks which may interrupt their employment
including illness.</p>
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