Know Exactly What Evidence to Send
The right evidence makes the difference between a successful claim and a refusal. Use these expert checklists to make sure you send everything DWP needs.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Evidence Checklist
Ask your GP specifically to describe how your condition affects the PIP activities — not just your diagnosis.
A letter that says 'patient has fibromyalgia' is far less useful than one that says 'patient struggles to prepare food, wash, and dress independently due to pain and fatigue'.
Letters from rheumatologists, neurologists, psychiatrists, pain specialists, or any other relevant consultant.
A full list of prescribed medications, including dosage and frequency, evidences the severity of your condition.
Ask your GP surgery for a printed medication summary — this is quick to obtain and very useful.
Any recent letters from hospital appointments, A&E visits, or outpatient clinics.
MRI reports, X-ray findings, blood test results showing abnormalities relevant to your condition.
A formal care plan is extremely powerful evidence as it is an official assessment of your support needs.
If you do not have a care plan, ask your GP for an OT referral — even the referral letter helps.
A written statement from someone who helps you day-to-day describing what assistance you need and how often.
The letter should be specific: 'I help [name] wash and dress every morning because...' rather than 'I help with personal care'.
OT reports carry significant weight as they are professional assessments of functional ability.
Prescription for walking aids, evidence of home adaptations (grab rails, stairlift), or specialist equipment.
If you have mental health conditions, a letter from your community mental health team or psychiatrist is essential.
Referral letters, therapy records, or letters from counsellors/psychologists.
Any records of mental health crises, crisis team involvement, or psychiatric admissions.
Even if you have not been hospitalised, evidence of crisis team contact or A&E visits for mental health is relevant.
A daily record of your symptoms and how they affect each PIP activity. This is some of the most powerful evidence you can provide.
Use our Benefits Diary feature to log your daily difficulties. Print it out and include it with your claim.
Photos of mobility aids, home adaptations, visible symptoms (e.g. swollen joints, skin conditions), or equipment.
- ✗Describing your condition on a good day — always describe your worst days and how often they occur
- ✗Saying 'I can do X' without adding 'but it takes me much longer / causes significant pain / I need help'
- ✗Not mentioning the time it takes to complete activities — PIP considers whether you can do things 'in a reasonable time'
- ✗Forgetting to include mental health conditions that affect daily living
- ✗Not sending evidence with your PIP2 form — DWP can make a decision without it