As access to healthcare workers gets harder and harder, we’re asking readers to share their experiences and tips for getting supporting medical evidence for a benefits claim.
Our request was prompted by a recent tweet from a follower who told us:
“My top tip is that most GP receptionists will happily print a copy of GP summary care record, which has meds, latest appts, diagnoses and stuff on it for free.”
It made us wonder, following the pandemic and the devastating effect it has had on health provision, how people are managing to get supporting medical evidence for claims for benefits such as PIP, DLA, ESA or UC.
Were you able to get medical evidence that gave useful details about your ability to manage the activities at issue in your claim, such as your ability to prepare food, manage money or cope with social situations?
Did you have to pay for medical evidence?
Or did you expect the DWP to contact your GP or consultant?
Are you lucky enough to have a health professional who is knowledgeable about benefits and who sees supporting you with your claim as an important part of their role?
And we’d also like to know whether you consider that the medical evidence, or a lack of it, made any material difference to the success of your claim?
Please share you experiences in the comments section below.