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Writing a letter of support for an application for a personal independence payment

Doctors and other NHS professionals in England are often asked to write in support of patients applying for benefits such as Personal Independence Payments (PIP) or Employment Support Allowance (ESA); which support people with disabilities and long-term health conditions. Here are some tips on how to write a good letter of support based on my long experience as an NHS doctor (over 30 years) of writing such letters.

  1. Introduce yourself and describe your relationship to the patient, including how long you have known them and in what capacity. This will help establish your credibility as a reliable source of information in support of their application for a personal independence payment or another state benefit.
  2. Provide a detailed description of the patient's medical conditions, including any diagnoses they have received, how their medical conditions affect their daily life, and any symptoms they experience. Also include any medication they are taking and any past medical or surgical interventions.
  3. If the patient is applying for Employment & Support Allowance (ESA), explain how their medical condition affects their ability to work. Describe any physical or cognitive limitations they have, or how their symptoms interfere with their ability to perform tasks required for their job.
  4. Describe how their condition impacts their daily life and ability to carry out basic activities of daily living, such as dressing, bathing, cooking, shopping and cleaning; and also in managing their health and their medical conditions.
  5. Use specific examples to illustrate how the patient's condition affects their daily life and ability to work. For example, you might describe a time when the patient experienced a symptom flare-up that prevented them from completing a task at home or attending work.
  6. Finally, emphasize the patient's need for financial support through benefits such as PIP or ESA. Explain how this support would help them manage their condition and improve their quality of life. With the cost of living crisis, these benefits are now essential for many people.
  7. Remember to keep the letter factual, polite, concise and to the point, and to focus on the patient's medical conditions (both physical and mental health problems) and how they impact their ability to work and carry out essential daily activities.

Some doctors argue they should not be writing such letters as they detract from the time available from providing core medical services. In England, the NHS is funding social prescribers to work with general practices and writing such letters of support if often delegated to them. Financial problems will have a big impact on people' health and well-being and it is important doctors do their best to support patients who have difficult financial circumstances.

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