PIP Evidence Checklist - What to Send

For a PIP claim, send: a GP summary or letter, hospital and consultant letters (within the last 2 years), a current prescription list, occupational therapy reports, mental health team notes, a personal diary covering 1-2 weeks and a statement from someone who helps you. Send copies only - never originals. Below is the full checklist with what each piece of evidence proves and how to request it.

Essential Evidence

1. GP Letter - Ask your GP to write a letter confirming your diagnoses, current medication and how your conditions affect your daily functioning. Be specific about what you want them to include. Some GPs charge for letters (typically £20-50) but it is worth it. If your GP will not write a letter, request a Subject Access Request (free under GDPR) for your full medical records.

2. Consultant/Specialist Letters - Letters from your rheumatologist, psychiatrist, neurologist, cardiologist or any other specialist carry significant weight. Ask them to describe functional impact, not just diagnosis.

3. Medication List - A full printout of your current prescriptions from your GP or pharmacy. This shows the severity of your conditions and the side effects you manage.

4. Supporting Statement - A written statement from someone who knows you well (partner, family member, carer, friend) describing what help they provide daily. This is often the most powerful evidence because it describes real daily life, not just medical facts.

Additional Evidence

• Occupational therapist reports - aids and adaptations needed
• Physiotherapist reports - exercises, limitations, mobility
• Mental health professional letters - CPN, psychologist, counsellor
• Hospital discharge summaries - if recently hospitalised
• A&E records - if attended due to your conditions
• Social worker reports - if social services involved
• Photos - visible conditions, wounds, swelling (dated)
• Diary - daily record of symptoms, difficulties and help needed

What Makes Good Evidence?

Good evidence describes FUNCTIONAL IMPACT, not just diagnosis. "Patient has fibromyalgia" is weak. "Patient has fibromyalgia which causes chronic widespread pain, fatigue and cognitive difficulties. She requires daily assistance with cooking, washing and dressing. She cannot walk more than 30 metres without resting due to pain and fatigue" is strong.

When to Submit Evidence

Send evidence WITH your PIP2 form if possible. You can also send additional evidence after submitting the form - post it to the address on the form with your National Insurance number on every page. At tribunal, you can submit new evidence right up until 7 days before the hearing.

What to Ask Your GP For Specifically

Generic GP letters waste an opportunity. When you request a supporting letter, ask your GP to address each of these points where relevant:

• Confirmed diagnoses with dates and the current treatment plan
• Current medications with doses and known side effects (drowsiness, cognitive blunting, nausea, weight gain, sexual dysfunction)
• How long the conditions have been present and the expected prognosis
• Functional impact on daily activities - cooking, washing, dressing, mobility, communication, finances. The phrase "functional impact" is the key one to ask for.
• The reliability criteria - whether you can perform these activities safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly and in a reasonable time period
• Variability of symptoms - whether the condition fluctuates, how often flare-ups occur and what they look like
• Any specialist referrals made or pending
• Whether your conditions affect your safety when alone (falls, seizures, suicidal ideation, self-neglect)

If your GP says they can only complete the standard SR1 form, ask for a separate bespoke letter on top. The standard form is short and generic - a bespoke letter that addresses functional impact carries far more weight at MR and tribunal.

What Tribunals Weight Most Heavily

Based on HMCTS tribunal decisions, evidence with the highest weight tends to be:

1. Specialist consultant letters dated within the last 12 months. Especially from rheumatology, neurology, pain clinics, psychiatry and cardiology.
2. Hospital discharge summaries from admissions related to your conditions. Documented severe events are hard to dispute.
3. Long-term GP records showing pattern of consultations - frequent visits, escalating medication, repeated requests for help.
4. Care plans from social services, community mental health teams or palliative care services. The existence of a care plan proves another agency has assessed you and determined you need ongoing support.
5. Occupational therapy reports documenting aids and adaptations provided. Concrete proof of functional need.
6. Pain or symptom diary kept for 2-4 weeks. Date every entry. Tribunals trust contemporaneous records.
7. Witness statements from carers and family with concrete examples and frequency. Signed and dated.

Evidence Mistakes to Avoid

• Sending only diagnoses without functional detail. A diagnosis letter without daily-life impact gets discounted by the DWP.
• Old evidence. Letters more than 2 years old carry less weight unless the condition is stable and long-term. Try to add something from the last 12 months.
• Sending originals. Always send photocopies. Originals can go missing in DWP post.
• No National Insurance number on every page. Documents without your NI number can be lost.
• Not keeping copies for yourself. Photocopy everything before sending. You will need them again at MR and tribunal.
• Sending evidence too late. Evidence sent after the decision is made does not affect the original decision - it has to wait for MR or tribunal.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get my full medical records?

Submit a Subject Access Request to your GP surgery. Free under UK GDPR. They have one month to respond. You can request a digital copy if your surgery uses an online portal. Full records are useful for MR and tribunal but usually too detailed to submit with your initial PIP2 form - extract the relevant letters and summaries.

My GP charges for letters. Is it worth paying?

For most claimants, yes. A £30-50 GP letter that addresses functional impact can be the difference between zero PIP and £5,000-10,100 per year. If cost is a barrier, ask the receptionist about hardship arrangements or whether the standard NHS Med 3 / SR1 forms cover what you need (sometimes they do, sometimes not).

Can I use evidence from years ago?

Yes, but it should be supplemented with current evidence. Long-term conditions benefit from showing the historical pattern. Recent acute changes need recent evidence. The DWP wants to see what your function is like now, not five years ago.

What if my GP refuses to write a letter?

Try asking again in writing, explaining specifically what you need (functional impact, reliability criteria language). If still refused, submit a Subject Access Request for your full records, extract the relevant consultations and medication history yourself and write a covering note explaining what each item shows. Specialist letters become extra important if your GP will not help.

Does the DWP contact my GP directly?

Sometimes - it depends on the assessor and the case. You cannot rely on them doing this. Always submit your own evidence regardless of whether the DWP requests anything from your GP.

Should I include witness statements from non-medical people?

Yes. A signed and dated statement from a partner, family member, friend or support worker who sees what you struggle with day-to-day is very valuable. The tribunal panel uses it to corroborate what you say. Ask the witness to describe what they observe, with specific examples and approximate frequency. Sign and date the statement.

How much evidence is too much?

Quality over quantity. A focused 5-10 page bundle of recent, specific, relevant evidence beats a 50-page archive of everything you have ever seen a doctor about. The decision-maker has limited time per case. Make their job easy by leading with your strongest evidence first.