Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason documentation produced by her Department informs claimants of personal independence payments not to send in a supporting letter from their GP.

When individuals make a claim to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) they are encouraged to provide relevant evidence which they already have. This can include information from a GP. We do not advise claimants to request additional documents as this may slow down their claim, or incur a cost. GPs can charge their patients for producing additional supporting evidence and they may not always be best placed to provide evidence of a claimant’s functional capabilities.

Part 1 of the PIP Assessment Guide (PIPAG) - Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment guide for assessment providers - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) - for Health Professionals who carry out PIP assessments, includes guidance at section 1.4 requiring them to review each claim to determine whether further evidence is needed. It also advises on the most appropriate source of further evidence considering a range of professionals who may be involved in supporting the claimant.