'Misleading' DWP letter causing ill and disabled people to lose benefits

Advice removed for GPs to provide notes for patients challenging fit-for-work tests.

Chronically ill and disabled people are being left for months without benefits because officials are sending “misleading” letters to their GPs saying they no longer need to supply medical evidence on behalf of patients who are declared fit for work.

Campaigners and MPs have called for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) form letter to be scrapped after it emerged claimants appealing against a fit-for-work decision were left near-destitute after their GPs refused to provide “fit notes” because they were advised they did not need to.

Full article:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/mar/18/misleading-dwp-letter-causing-ill-and-disabled-people-to-lose-benefits

DPAC, has produced advice and guidance on this topic:

'YOU can prevent the DWP interfering in the patient/doctor’s relationship'
https://dpac.uk.net/2018/04/you-can-prevent-the-dwp-interfering-in-the-patient-doctors-relationship/
Linking to https://mrfrankzola.wordpress.com/2017/02/16/do-not-tell-gp-outcome-of-your-work-capability-assessment-wca-donotconsent/

Scrap 'misleading' fit-for-work letter to GPs, says Labour.

Removal of advice is leaving ill and disabled people destitute, says Marsha de Cordova.

The Labour party has urged the government to scrap “misleading” letters sent by welfare officials to GPs that have had devastating consequences for ill and disabled people left unable to claim benefits for several months.

The Guardian revealed this week that claimants appealing against “fit for work” decisions had been left without benefits and reliant on food banks because their GPs refused to provide them with “fit notes” after being wrongly advised in the letters that they were no longer required to do so.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/mar/22/scrap-misleading-fit-for-work-letter-to-gps-says-labour-marsha-de-cordova