A good PIP letter from your GP should describe how your condition affects your daily life — not just confirm your diagnosis. It needs to cover the specific activities the DWP scores you against, like preparing food, washing, dressing, and getting around. Below, you’ll find a free template you can hand to your GP to help them write exactly the kind of letter PIP decision-makers need to see. But most GP letters get this wrong. Here’s how to make sure yours doesn’t.
Why You Need a GP Letter for PIP
Medical evidence can make or break a PIP claim. According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, good quality clinical evidence from someone who knows your condition can result in fewer unnecessary face-to-face assessments — and a fairer outcome.
But here’s the thing most people don’t realise. A letter that simply says “Mrs Smith has fibromyalgia and is on Pregabalin” is almost worthless for PIP purposes. The DWP doesn’t assess you on what condition you have. They assess you on how that condition limits your ability to carry out 12 specific daily living and mobility activities. (You can read more about these in our PIP descriptors and points guide.)
In our experience helping hundreds of PIP claimants, the difference between a successful and unsuccessful claim often comes down to whether the medical evidence describes functional impact rather than just diagnosis.
A Citizens Advice report found that some GPs refuse to provide evidence, while others provide letters that actually weaken the claim because they don’t address what the DWP is looking for. Our template solves this problem by guiding your GP to write about the right things.
For a full guide to gathering all types of PIP evidence (not just GP letters), see our complete PIP evidence guide.
How to Use This Template
Getting a useful GP letter doesn’t need to be complicated. Follow these steps:
Step 1: Save the template — Print or download the template letter below. You can also copy it directly from this page.
Step 2: Fill in your details — Go through the [BRACKETED] sections and add your personal information — your conditions, medications, and (this is the important bit) specific examples of how your conditions affect your daily activities. Be honest and specific. Don’t downplay things.
Step 3: Book an appointment with your GP — A longer or double appointment is ideal — mention when booking that you need a supporting letter for PIP.
Step 4: Hand them the completed template — You might say something like: “I need a letter that describes how my condition affects my daily life for PIP. I’ve filled in a template to help — could you use this as a starting point?” Most GPs appreciate having a framework. It saves them time and means they cover the right ground.
Step 5: Ask them to send the letter to you (not the DWP) — This is a tip from Citizens Advice — get the letter sent to you first so you can check it actually helps your claim before submitting it.
A Quick Note About Fees
GPs consider PIP support letters to be non-NHS private work, so they’re under no obligation to write them. The British Medical Association (BMA) confirms this — NHS GPs have no requirement to provide letters of support for benefit claims, and they can charge a fee. In practice, expect to pay somewhere between £25 and £100, depending on your surgery. Always ask about fees before booking the appointment. Some GPs will do it for free, but many won’t — and that’s within their rights.
Don’t delay your PIP form. If you’re waiting for a GP letter, send your PIP2 form back to the DWP on time anyway. You can always submit evidence afterwards. Include a note saying “Further medical evidence to follow.” Missing the deadline means starting over.
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The Template Letter
Below is the complete template. You can read it here, copy it, or download and print it. Fill in every section marked with [BRACKETS] before giving it to your GP.
I am writing to provide supporting medical evidence for [PATIENT NAME]‘s claim for Personal Independence Payment (PIP). I have been their GP for [NUMBER] years and am familiar with their medical history and how their conditions affect daily life.
[Condition 2 — e.g., Major depressive disorder, diagnosed 2021]
[Condition 3 — add more as needed]
Current medication:
[Medication 1 — e.g., Methotrexate 15mg weekly]
[Medication 2 — e.g., Sertraline 100mg daily]
[Medication 3 — add more as needed]
Relevant side effects affecting daily functioning:
[Describe — e.g., Methotrexate causes significant fatigue and nausea for 2–3 days after each dose. Sertraline causes drowsiness and cognitive slowing, particularly in the mornings.]
3. Functional Impact — Daily Living
Note to GP: Complete whichever activities are relevant. Focus on where the patient has the most difficulty. You do not need to cover all of them.
Preparing Food
[Patient] [is unable to / has difficulty with] preparing a simple meal because [explain — e.g., joint pain, fatigue, cognitive difficulties]. They [need prompting / physical help / cannot do this safely / take significantly longer].
Taking Nutrition
[Patient] has difficulty eating/drinking because [e.g., tremor, jaw pain, needs food cut up].
Managing Therapy
[Patient] requires [e.g., weekly blood monitoring, physiotherapy] and [can/cannot] manage without assistance because [explain].
Washing & Bathing
[Patient] [needs prompting / physical help / uses aids] to wash because [e.g., cannot safely use bath, restricted movement, fall risk].
[Patient] [has difficulty / needs help] dressing because [e.g., limited grip, shoulder restriction, lacks motivation without prompting].
Communicating Verbally
[Patient] has difficulty with verbal communication because [e.g., anxiety, medication effects, hearing loss].
Reading & Understanding
[Patient] has difficulty with written information because [e.g., cognitive impairment, learning disability, visual impairment].
Engaging with Others
[Patient] has difficulty engaging with others because [e.g., social anxiety, becomes overwhelmed]. This affects [relationships / appointments / interactions].
Budgeting Decisions
[Patient] has difficulty managing finances because [e.g., cognitive impairment, impulsive spending, needs someone to manage money].
4. Functional Impact — Mobility
Planning & Following Journeys
[Patient] has difficulty because [e.g., anxiety prevents public transport use, cognitive difficulties, becomes disoriented, needs accompaniment].
Moving Around
[Patient] [can/cannot] walk more than [distance] because [e.g., pain, breathlessness, fatigue, fall risk]. They [do/do not] use [walking stick / crutches / wheelchair]. After walking [distance], they [need to rest for… / experience severe pain for…].
5. The Reliability Test
Under Regulation 4(2A), a person should only be assessed as able to carry out an activity if they can do so safely, to an acceptable standard, as often as reasonably required, and within a reasonable time period.
In my clinical opinion, [PATIENT NAME] [can/cannot] carry out the activities described above reliably:
Safely:
[e.g., risk of falls / burns / self-neglect]
To an acceptable standard:
[e.g., hygiene deteriorates without prompting; meals not nutritionally adequate]
Repeatedly:
[e.g., may manage a task once but cannot repeat it due to fatigue / pain]
In a reasonable time:
[e.g., tasks taking 10 minutes take 30–40 minutes due to pain and stiffness]
Their condition fluctuates. On more than 50% of days, they experience [describe typical bad day — e.g., high pain, severe fatigue, low mood, increased anxiety].
6. Prognosis
[PATIENT NAME]‘s condition is [long-term / progressive / degenerative / stable but significantly limiting]. The functional limitations described are [likely to persist / likely to worsen / unlikely to improve significantly].
Yours faithfully,
[GP Full Name, Qualifications — e.g., Dr Jane Smith, MBBS, MRCGP]
GMC Number: [GMC NUMBER] [GP Practice Name] [GP Practice Address] [GP Practice Telephone]
Supporting Medical Evidence
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
GP Letter — Completed Example
GP Practice:
Riverside Medical Practice
Address:
14 Orchard Lane, Nottingham, NG5 2AJ
Date:
12 February 2026
To whom it may concern
Patient Details
Patient Name:
Sarah Jane Thompson
Date of Birth:
03/08/1985
NHS Number:
432 876 1209
1. Introduction
I am writing to provide supporting medical evidence for Ms Thompson’s claim for Personal Independence Payment (PIP). I have been her GP for 6 years and am familiar with her medical history and how her conditions affect daily life.
2. Diagnoses & Treatment
Diagnosed conditions:
Rheumatoid arthritis, diagnosed 2019
Major depressive disorder, diagnosed 2021
Generalised anxiety disorder, diagnosed 2021
Current medication:
Methotrexate 15mg weekly (subcutaneous injection)
Sertraline 100mg daily
Naproxen 500mg twice daily
Folic acid 5mg weekly
Relevant side effects affecting daily functioning:
Methotrexate causes significant fatigue and nausea for 2–3 days after each weekly dose. During this period, Ms Thompson reports being largely bedbound. Sertraline causes drowsiness and cognitive slowing, particularly in the mornings, which affects her ability to plan and organise tasks. Naproxen causes intermittent stomach pain and dizziness.
3. Functional Impact — Daily Living
Preparing Food
Ms Thompson is unable to safely prepare and cook a simple meal on the majority of days. Joint pain and stiffness in her hands prevent safe use of a knife, and fatigue means she cannot stand long enough to cook a meal from start to finish. She has burned food on multiple occasions because her medication causes cognitive slowing and she forgets what she is doing. She relies on her partner to prepare meals and uses a microwave for ready meals when alone.
Washing & Bathing
Ms Thompson needs to use a shower seat and grab rails. She cannot safely get in and out of the bath due to restricted movement in her knees and hips. She cannot reach her lower legs or feet to wash them due to pain and stiffness in her spine and shoulders. On bad days, she needs verbal prompting from her partner to wash at all, as her depression causes significant self-neglect.
Dressing & Undressing
Ms Thompson has difficulty dressing due to limited grip and dexterity in her hands — she cannot fasten buttons, zips, or bra clasps. Shoulder restriction prevents her from putting her arms through sleeves without significant pain. On days when her depression is severe, she lacks motivation to dress without repeated prompting from her partner.
Engaging with Others
Ms Thompson’s anxiety causes significant distress in social situations. She experiences panic attacks when meeting unfamiliar people and avoids leaving the house for days at a time. She has missed medical appointments due to anxiety and cannot interact with professionals without her partner present for support.
Budgeting Decisions
Ms Thompson’s cognitive impairment from medication means she struggles to calculate change, understand bills, or manage her finances independently. Her partner manages all household bills and budgeting.
4. Functional Impact — Mobility
Planning & Following Journeys
Ms Thompson has difficulty planning and following journeys due to anxiety and panic attacks. She cannot use public transport as crowded spaces trigger panic episodes. She becomes disoriented in unfamiliar places and requires her partner to accompany her to all appointments.
Moving Around
Ms Thompson cannot walk more than approximately 50 metres before needing to stop due to pain in her knees, hips, and feet. She uses a walking stick on most days. After walking 50 metres, she needs to rest for 10–15 minutes and experiences severe pain for several hours afterwards. She cannot repeat the journey the same day.
5. The Reliability Test
Under Regulation 4(2A), a person should only be assessed as able to carry out an activity if they can do so safely, to an acceptable standard, as often as reasonably required, and within a reasonable time period.
In my clinical opinion, Ms Thompson cannot carry out the activities described above reliably:
Safely:
There is a significant risk of burns when cooking, falls when bathing, and self-neglect during depressive episodes.
To an acceptable standard:
Her personal hygiene deteriorates without prompting; meals she prepares alone are not nutritionally adequate.
Repeatedly:
She may manage a task once in a day but cannot repeat it due to fatigue and pain flare-ups triggered by activity.
In a reasonable time:
Tasks that should take 10 minutes routinely take 30–40 minutes due to pain, stiffness, and cognitive slowing.
Her condition fluctuates. On more than 50% of days, she experiences high pain levels, severe fatigue from Methotrexate, low mood that prevents her from getting out of bed before midday, and increased anxiety that confines her to the house.
6. Prognosis
Ms Thompson’s conditions are long-term and likely to persist. Her rheumatoid arthritis is progressive, and despite ongoing treatment, her functional limitations have worsened over the past two years. Her depression and anxiety are chronic and have not responded fully to current medication. In my opinion, the functional limitations described above are likely to persist and may worsen.
Yours faithfully,
Dr James Whitfield, MBBS, MRCGP
GMC Number: 4578321
Riverside Medical Practice
14 Orchard Lane, Nottingham, NG5 2AJ
Tel: 0115 978 4321
Always ask your GP to send the completed letter to you, not directly to the DWP. This lets you check it’s actually helpful before you submit it.
What Makes This Template Work
Most PIP GP letter templates you’ll find online are either too vague or too short. They confirm a diagnosis and list medications — and that’s it. The DWP already knows your diagnosis from your PIP2 form. What they need (and what this template provides) is evidence about functional impact.
This template works because it’s built around the 12 activities the DWP actually scores you on. It prompts your GP to describe:
What you can’t do (or struggle to do) in concrete terms
Why you can’t do it — linked directly to your condition
Whether you can do it reliably — safely, repeatedly, to an acceptable standard, in a reasonable time (this is the legal test under Regulation 4(2A) of the PIP Regulations 2013)
How your condition fluctuates — because the DWP applies the 50% rule, meaning if your difficulties occur on more than half of days, that descriptor should apply
Medication side effects — which many GPs forget to mention, but which often cause significant functional problems (drowsiness, cognitive impairment, nausea, dizziness)
It happens. And it’s frustrating. But GPs are within their rights to refuse — it’s classified as non-NHS private work, and the BMA confirms they have no obligation to provide it.
If your GP says no, you’ve still got options:
Request your medical records — Under GDPR, you have the right to a copy of your GP records for free. You can also access your health record, medication history, and test results through the NHS App. These aren’t as targeted as a letter, but they do provide supporting evidence.
Ask a specialist or consultant — If you’re under a hospital consultant, psychiatrist, physiotherapist, or occupational therapist, they can write a supporting letter too — and their evidence often carries more weight for specialist conditions.
Ask other professionals — Community psychiatric nurses, social workers, support workers, counsellors — anyone who sees how your condition affects you day to day can provide a letter.
Write a personal statement — You can describe your own difficulties in detail, focusing on the same PIP activities covered in this template.
Ask a carer or family member to write a statement — People who help you with daily tasks can describe exactly what they do and how often.
For the full breakdown of all evidence types and how to gather them, see our PIP appeal evidence guide.
Need Professional Help With Your Appeal?
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This guide provides general information about the PIP assessment process and is not legal advice. PIP decisions depend on individual circumstances. If you need help challenging a PIP decision, our professional appeal letter service can help — tailored to your case for a flat fee of £49.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
No, a GP letter isn’t mandatory. You can submit your PIP claim without one. But medical evidence significantly strengthens your claim, particularly evidence that describes how your condition affects your daily activities rather than just confirming your diagnosis.
Because PIP letters are classified as non-NHS private work, your GP can set their own fee. Most practices charge between £25 and £100. Some GPs will do it for free, but don’t count on it. Always ask about fees before booking an appointment. If the DWP or Tribunal Service requests a report directly, they pay the fee.
The letter must focus on how your condition affects your ability to carry out daily activities — not just confirm your diagnosis. It should cover the specific activities the DWP assesses (preparing food, washing, dressing, getting around), describe whether you can do them safely and reliably, and mention medication side effects that affect daily functioning.
GPs can refuse as it’s classified as non-NHS work. If they say no, request your medical records for free under GDPR, try the NHS App for prescription history, or ask another professional who knows your condition — a consultant, CPN, physiotherapist, or support worker. Personal statements from you and your carer also count as evidence.
Not usually. The DWP themselves don’t contact GPs about PIP claims. The assessment provider (currently Capita, Maximus, Serco, or Ingeus, depending on your area) may request a factual medical report from your GP, but this doesn’t always happen. It’s your responsibility to gather and submit supporting evidence.
No. Never delay returning your PIP2 form. You usually have about four weeks to return it, and missing the deadline can end your claim. Send the form on time, include a note saying further medical evidence will follow, and submit the GP letter as soon as you receive it.
Not at all. This template is a guide to help your GP cover the right ground. They may prefer to write in their own style or only address certain sections. What matters is that the final letter describes your functional difficulties linked to PIP activities, not just your diagnosis.
It’s a good start, but ideally you’d support it with other evidence too. Consultant letters, prescription records, a personal statement describing your daily difficulties, and statements from carers or family members all strengthen your case. The tribunal considers all available evidence, not just medical evidence.
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Neil is a former DWP decision maker turned welfare rights adviser with over 15 years of experience in disability benefits. He has personally supported over 3,000 PIP appeals at both Mandatory Reconsideration and tribunal, achieving a 90% success rate for his clients.
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