A WORKER whose sister had to pay £50 for a doctor’s note before she could claim benefits made a plea yesterday for the fees to be scrapped.

Somerset representative Richard Firmin told the Usdaw conference how his sister, who suffers from a debilitating back disease, had been ruled fit for work and stripped of benefits under the Con-Dems’ work tests system.

“On the rare opportunities she was able to get out of bed she depended on crutches,” Mr Firmin explained.

He told how he had spent months battling for the decision to be overturned, during which time his sick sister “struggled to put food on the table.”

A GP agreed his sister should be exempt but, despite her financial hardship, charged £50 for a note.

Mr Firmin added: “This is affecting the most vulnerable members of our society, who are already suffering severe financial punishment.”

Delegates overwhelmingly voted in favour of his motion calling for medical letters to be provided free of charge to patients.