"ESA Payments are Ending." is this a scam?

doko_e

Hello, I received a text message, supposedly from the DWP, on 21.11.2025. This is all it said...

To be clear, I did not receive anything in the post before or after this text message. I am currently on EESA, which to my knowledge, is not due to be migrated to UC, unlike Incomes-related ESA. 

Can anyone confirm whether this is a genuine text message, or not?

Thanks in advance,
🙏

Spoonie_Turtle

That phone number is for migrating to UC. 
EDIT: I didn't realise it would be a link rather than just dialling the number directly, see Newcad's comment below and do not click on it.  (Adding this in for clarity for any future readers who mat have received a similar message too.)

How much ESA do you receive?
What are your current circumstances, especially do you have savings/capital (including ISAs, property you don't live in) above £16,000?

huckster

Old version of ESA is ending. And where contributory these are migrated across to New Style ESA.

You could phone ESA on the helpline 0800 169 0310 to find out about your current ESA claim.

KxMx

EESA doesn't tell us anything about whether you receive IR ESA, CB ESA or a combination of both.

Newcad

That Text message is almost certainly a scam. Although it is just possibly legit I would be careful and not tap on the link there

To start with the DWP would be sending you a Managed Migration notice and not a text message.
(Althoygh with Managed Migbation supposedly coming to an end they may be doing something 'extra').

Secondly- whilst the phone number shown is a UC number - if you call it yourself - in the text mesaage it is a 'link'.

If you tap that link in that text message it might not connect you to the DWP number that it shows, but will instead connect you to scamners. It is easy to create false links.

DON'T TAP ON THAT NUMBER IN THE TEXT MESSAGE.

I would simply ignore and delete that message. If you want to check then ring ESA yourself - but do NOT tap that link.

PS. You may be surprised but there is no such thing as "EESA" - It is just a reference designation on your bank statement for an ESA payment.

The DWP admitted years ago in a Freedom of Information answer that the double 'EE' was simply a typing mistake on the banking system that has never been corrected (because it doesn't make any difference to anything).

8dayweek

That looks legit to me? 

Move to UC do contact people via text - especially after there’s no response to the Migration Notice Letter[s].

The telephone number is also the Move to UC helpline. 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/move-to-universal-credit-if-you-get-a-migration-notice-letter#only-read-this-guidance-if-you-get-a-migration-notice-letter

Robbie64

You'll need to phone the Migration helpline to clarify if the text is legitimate. It's possible that a Migration Notice was sent but hasn't arrived. It's also possible that a migration notice wasn't sent although the text shouldn't be sent without the initial migration notice.

poppy12345

That looks ok to me. It’s the same as what I received other than mine included housing benefit as well as ESA. Telephone number is the same as what mine was too. 

Newcad

People are missing the point about the phone number link. Or any phone number link in a text or email.
Yes the number given is genuine UC number - but it's a link, and false links are very easy to create.
False links are the cyber scammers main tool.
Ring the UC number by all means, but dial it yourseld - Don't tap/click the link.
Just because a link says one thing it doesn't mean that it actually links to what it says.
As a safe example of a false link: Click/tap here for cute pictures of cats