Cliff House Medical Practice

Gresham Street – Branch Surgery

Benefits Reform

Benefits Reform-Requests for GP letters from 1st July 2021. 

 

The benefits system is undergoing major changes and we are aware this is impacting on many of our patients. 

GPs provide medical care to their patients and are not in a position to administer nor to police the benefits system. It is not appropriate for the GP to be asked for letters of support or letters to confirm housing or care needs. GPs are not contracted or resourced to provide this service and do not have the capacity to do so. Time taken up with paperwork is time taken away from direct patient care. There are contractual and agreed methods for GPs to provide medical information to the Department for Work and Pensions, Local Authority and other agencies. These are sent to the GP practice and GPs respond directly to the departments requesting information. 

Therefore we cannot respond directly to requests from patients for “letters of support”. 

If you have been told by any agency to obtain such a letter from your GP then please ask reception for a copy of this information which you can then give to the department and/or organisation which has told you to get a GP letter. 

Date published: 10th October, 2014
Date last updated: 30th June, 2021