DWP factual medical reports: guidance for healthcare professionals
Guidance for healthcare professionals who complete medical reports for DWP or one of its assessment providers.
Documents
Details
This guidance is for healthcare professionals who complete medical reports for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or one of its assessment providers. The subjects include factual reports for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Attendance Allowance (AA).
DWP decision makers use medical reports to help them make decisions on benefit entitlement. Medical reports may also be used in appeals against benefit decisions.
Guidance on completing fit notes is available separately.
Information for claimants
Updates to this page
Published 20 September 2013Last updated 20 September 2024 + show all updates
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Removed the PDF version of DWP medical (factual) reports – a guide to completion. HTML version is still there.
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Updated section 2.2. Removed contact details to the health assessment providers as these are changing. Added a link to the new providers.
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Updated paragraph 3.2.7 'Delegation of completion of reports' of 'DWP Medical (factual) reports: A guide to completion'. GPs no longer need to countersign the ESA113, FRR2, PIP or DLA/AA factual reports completed by their practice nurses.
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Removed out of date document 'Questions and answers about certification and medical reports – for healthcare practitioners'.
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Updated the 'The ‘Special Rules’: how the benefit system supports people nearing the end of life' clinician guidance to change special rules eligibility from 6 months to 12 months for PIP, DLA and AA. The SR1 form has now replaced the DS1500. Removed the flowcharts as they are no longer required.
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Removed references to Vaccine Damage Scheme forms VAD20 'Request for copy of GP notes or completion of factual report' and VAD21 'Request for copy of hospital case notes' as DWP no longer manages the scheme.
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Updated DWP factual medical reports: guidance for healthcare professionals. Removed from para 3.2.2. Release of information: 'Where a medical report has been requested in relation to a claim to PIP, the assessment provider will let your patient know that you have been contacted to provide a report.'
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Added flow chart on DWP financial support for patients who are nearing the end of life.
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Published new guidance about how the benefit system supports people nearing the end of their life under the ‘Special Rules’. From 4 April 2022 the 'Special Rules' will apply to Universal Credit and Employment and Support Allowance claimants who have been told they may have 12 months or less to live, instead of 6 months or less.
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Updated links in section 2.24 of "DWP Medical (factual) reports: A guide to completion".
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Removed form FAS1500 'Factual report in connection with the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS)' from the list of DWP forms as it is no longer in use.
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Edited 'DWP Medical (factual) reports: A guide to completion' to explain form DS1500 can now be received from a NHS Wales email account.
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Updated section 3.1.2 of the DWP factual medical reports guidance with a link to the HSC 1999 agreement on the provision of patient information by NHS Trusts to the DWP.
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Added list of forms DWP may ask healthcare professionals to complete and whether they are chargeable.
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Updated section 2.7 of the DWP Medical (factual) reports guide with revised guidance on completing the DS1500 form for people who may be terminally ill.
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Updated details for ordering blank DS1500 forms. Added HTML versions of the documents.
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Updated the factual reports guide: section 2.3 (form FRR2) and paragraph 2.7.1 (form DS1500).
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Added information on how to submit form DS1500 online from May 2017 (England only). See paragraph 2.7.3 (page 12) of 'DWP medical (factual) reports – a guide to completion'.
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Added revised DWP medical (factual) reports guide. Changes include: references to Universal Credit, the completion of DS1500 form, CHDA (Maximus) in consent section and completion of delegating forms.
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First published.