Skip to content

SR1 form (Special Rules for End of Life)

Form SR1 is the medical evidence used by the Department for Work and Pensions to fast-track disability and welfare benefit claims under the Special Rules for End of Life (SREOL, formerly Special Rules for Terminal Illness or SRTI). Completed by a registered clinician — typically the patient's GP, hospital consultant, or specialist nurse — it confirms that the patient has a progressive disease and that the clinician would not be surprised if the patient lived less than 12 months. SR1 replaced the older DS1500 form in April 2022 when the qualifying period was lengthened from 6 to 12 months. [source: gov-uk/dwp-special-rules-terminal-illness-2026-05-02.html]

Effect: a claim made under the Special Rules is fast-tracked. There is no medical assessment, no work-capability test, no face-to-face appointment. The benefit is awarded at the highest applicable rate and is usually decided within weeks rather than the months an ordinary disability claim takes.

Benefits the SR1 fast-tracks:

  • DWP benefits: Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance for children (DLA), Attendance Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Universal Credit (the Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity element).

How it gets requested: the patient does not need to know the form has been completed (and is not required to be told the prognosis). A family member, carer, hospice nurse, or social worker can ask the treating clinician to complete an SR1; the clinician decides whether the criteria are met. Completed SR1s are sent directly to the relevant DWP department (the patient or their representative submits the benefit claim and notes that an SR1 has been provided).

Hospice and care-home interactions: a person admitted to a hospice with an SR1 in place keeps disability benefits in payment in full, provided the DWP is notified in writing that the person is terminally ill. The 28-day rule that normally suspends benefits during hospital stays does not apply to terminally ill claimants in hospital under the Special Rules.

Renewal: an SR1 stays in effect indefinitely while the prognosis remains valid. There is no automatic review. A new SR1 is required only if the original claim is closed and a fresh claim is made.

→ End-of-life planning · Stopping benefits after a death

Last verified: 2 May 2026 against gov.uk DWP Special Rules for End of Life.