The Department for Work and Pensions has withdrawn "misleading" letters it sent to more than 150,000 benefit claimants' GPs.

Almost two years after it launched, welfare chiefs have replaced the standard letter they send to family doctors every time a patient is found 'fit for work'.

But the DWP faces a new row after a charity attacked the replacement letter, claiming it "continues to be actively misleading".

The Zacchaeus 2000 Trust, which gained more than 100,000 signatures on a petition against the letters, called for the DWP to go further and scrap such letters altogether.

The row surrounds the DWP's treatment of people who are denied sickness benefit Employment Support Allowance (ESA).

Each time someone is found fit for work under ESA rules, the DWP sends their GP a standard letter informing them of the decision.

But the wording changed in August 2017 to tell GPs they "do not need to provide any more fit notes" to their patient - even though these are needed to keep claiming benefits during an appeal.

Earlier this year, Labour said the "misleading" letters could strand some without cash while the Royal College of GPs warned they could "endanger" patients' health.

Today the DWP confirmed it scrapped the letter, known officially as ESA65B, last month and replaced it with a new version.

It was in circulation for almost two years, suggesting more than 250,000 copies were sent out.

That is because 146,500 of the letters were sent out between September 2017 and September 2018 alone. Full figures for the number of letters are not available.

(Image: UIG via Getty Images)

The new letter contains a prominent disclaimer saying that, "subject to your clinical discretion", GPs can "issue further fit notes in the future".

That evidence includes if "they ask you for evidence for a reconsideration or appeal against our decision".

New DWP guidance today confirms: "The ESA65B was revised in June 2019 to further emphasise the clinical discretion of GPs to continue issuing fit notes in appropriate circumstances such as when an appeal against a DWP decision is being undertaken."

But the Z2K charity said although the new letter is a "little less confusing", it was not good enough and the very existence of the letter should be scrapped in its entirety.

Z2K chief executive Raji Hunjan said: "The revised letters continue to be actively misleading and ultimately lead to people being denied benefits that they are entitled to.

"The letters actively dissuades or stops GPs from making decisions that they should be able to make without interference from the DWP. Why do GPs need to know the DWP have declared the person fit for work, and then be told that they can still provide fit notes in some circumstances?’

"We are really disappointed with this outcome.

"Although the revised letter is a little less confusing, the DWP should have consulted with specialist advice charities like ours and directly with the disabled and ill people that they are affecting.

"Simply withdrawing these letters altogether would prevent the harm we’ve seen from happening again."

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Independent MP Frank Field, chairman of the Commons Work and Pensions Committee, said: “The arduous, protracted appeals process ends all too often with a judge proclaiming another DWP mistake, at huge personal cost to the wronged claimant.

"And still DWP takes months just to make it clearer to GPs that their patients are entitled to a financial lifeline while they battle DWP’s decision."