PIP assessors working for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) place much weight on medical evidence relating to the effects of conditions, especially if that is provided by a medical consultant.
In practice many claimants do not have good supporting evidence; perhaps they have lost paperwork, or they have been living with an untreatable condition for some years, or their lives are complicated or disorganised.
A list of possible supporting evidence, suggested by participants in the study and grouped by their opinion of priority is given below, with especially important items emboldened. Not all items will be relevant to all claimants.
| Group | Supporting Evidence Item (Alphabetical Order) |
|---|
| Best | Care/Therapy Plan |
| Certificate of Vision Impairment |
| Hospital Discharge Notes/Forms |
| Letters from Consultants to GP Describing Effects |
| Medical Diary |
| Nutrition Plan |
| Prescription List |
| Summary Medical Record (from GP) |
| Statement from Carer |
| Statement from GP or Other Medical Professional |
| Test/Assessment Result(s) |
| Medical Treatment Plan |
| Better | Medical Aid Assessment(s) |
| Exercise Plan |
| Statement from Relative or Friend (non carer) |
| Good | List of Actual Medications and Treatments |
| Claimant’s Personal Statement About Their Condition’s Effects |
Appointment letters are not suitable as supporting evidence to submit to DWP, but can be useful to help identify conditions and dates of when conditions began and were they were diagnosed. Supporting evidence is in addition to bringing the following to the form-filling appointment:
- PIP claim form (sent by DWP using the post)
- The addressed and postage-paid return envelope
- Name, job title, address and phone number of GP and other medical or social work professionals who know most about the claimant’s conditions
- List of medical conditions/disabilities
- List of medications and other treatments.
Additionally, try to make sure the following are available at the form-filling appointment if they exist and can be found:
- Copies of previously completed PIP claim and PIP review forms
- PIP decision, mandatory reconsideration (MR) and award notices
- Outcomes of any previous appeals
- And other correspondence from DWP.
If there has been an appeal related to a previous PIP claim, include those documents in the supporting evidence. Do not assume the DWP will obtain documents from other people, organisations, or other government departments.
If a friend, relative or carer is able to attend the form-filling appointment, they may be able to help provide additional perspectives on how a person’s conditions affects them.