Can You Get PIP for Hypermobility or EDS? Guide 2026

Can you get PIP for hypermobility? Yes, when hypermobility spectrum disorder (HSD) or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome limits how you prepare food, wash, dress, use the toilet or move around on more than half of days. PIP looks at how the condition affects you, not the diagnosis.

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) and HSD cause joint instability, chronic pain, fatigue and dislocations, and often come with co-existing conditions including POTS and gastroparesis. Claims are challenging because the condition is poorly understood by assessors, but the functional impact is often severe.

Which Activities Does EDS Affect?

Preparing Food (Activity 1) - Joint instability in hands causing you to drop things. Subluxations during kitchen tasks. POTS causing dizziness when standing.

Washing and Bathing (Activity 4) - Shoulder subluxations reaching to wash hair. Falls risk on slippery surfaces. POTS worsening in hot water.

Dressing (Activity 6) - Finger joint instability with buttons and zips. Shoulder dislocations putting arms through sleeves. Hip problems bending for socks.

Managing Therapy (Activity 3) - Needing help, prompting or supervision with pain, POTS or gastroparesis medication scores 1 point (descriptor 3b) however many drugs you take. Prescribed physiotherapy exercises done at home with another person's help count as therapy and are scored by the hours a week they take with that help (descriptors 3c to 3f). Specialist appointments do not count.

Moving Around (Activity 12) - Ankles and knees giving way. Falls from proprioception problems. POTS causing dizziness and near-fainting when upright.

How Many PIP Points Can You Get for Hypermobility or EDS?

There is no set number of PIP points for hypermobility or EDS. Points come from how your joints, pain, fatigue and any POTS affect each activity, not from the diagnosis. In every activity the DWP chooses the one descriptor that applies to you and adds up the points: daily living activities 1 to 10 make one score and mobility activities 11 and 12 make another. In each part, 8 points gives the standard rate and 12 points the enhanced rate (regulations 5 and 6). Our guide to how the PIP points system works covers the scoring in full.

These are the descriptors that commonly come into play with hypermobility or EDS. The wording is taken from Schedule 1 of the Social Security (Personal Independence Payment) Regulations 2013.

Rows 12b to 12e count towards the mobility part and the rest towards daily living. Only one descriptor counts in each activity: if 4b and 4e both apply to you on most days, the higher one (4e, 3 points) counts, not both.

Safely, repeatedly and the reliability rules

Regulation 4(2A) says you only satisfy a descriptor if you can do the activity safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly and within a reasonable time period. With hypermobility, this is where many points are won or lost:

• Safely means "in a manner unlikely to cause harm" to you or another person, during or after the activity (regulation 4(4)). A real risk of a subluxation, a dropped pan of hot water or a fall counts under safely.
• Repeatedly means as often as the activity is reasonably required. If dressing or cooking once sets off subluxations or a day of payback, you cannot repeat it, so it does not count as something you can do.
• Acceptable standard and reasonable time: a task done badly because your hands give way, or one that takes more than twice as long as it would take someone without your condition, does not count either.

Braces, splints and perching stools are aids. Regulation 2 defines an aid or appliance as "any device which improves, provides or replaces" impaired physical or mental function, and you are assessed using the aids you normally use or could reasonably be expected to use (regulation 4(2)). Needing ring splints to grip a knife can point to 1b, and needing knee braces or crutches to walk can be the difference between 12c and 12d.

When your joints fluctuate

Hypermobility often comes and goes: a joint can feel stable for a week and then sublux several times in a few days. Regulation 7 deals with this. A descriptor applies if it is satisfied on more than 50% of the days in the required period, which normally looks 3 months back and 9 months forward. If two descriptors in one activity each apply on more than half of days, the higher scoring one counts. If no single descriptor does, but descriptors that score points apply on more than half of days when added together, the one that applies on the most days counts. A diary of subluxations, falls and payback days is the clearest way to show which descriptor fits you on most days.

For 2026/27, GOV.UK lists the daily living part at £76.70 a week (standard rate) or £114.60 (enhanced rate) and the mobility part at £30.30 or £80.00. Both enhanced rates together come to £194.60 a week, about £10,119 a year. Moving around is decided mostly by distance, and our guide to the PIP 20 metre rule explains why 20 metres is the line for the enhanced mobility rate. If you live in Scotland, you apply for Adult Disability Payment from Social Security Scotland instead of PIP: see PIP in Scotland and Adult Disability Payment.

POTS and PIP

POTS is separately disabling: dizziness on standing, palpitations, near-fainting, inability to stand for any length of time. Directly affects cooking, washing, mobility and journeys.

What Evidence Helps?

• Rheumatologist or geneticist letter
• Beighton score
• Physiotherapist reports
• Cardiologist letters if POTS
• Photos of subluxations
• List of braces and aids

POTS and EDS

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome co-exists with EDS in a huge proportion of patients. POTS causes your heart rate to spike when standing, leading to dizziness, palpitations, near-fainting and inability to stand for any length of time. This directly affects cooking (Activity 1 - can't stand at worktop), washing (Activity 4 - dangerous in shower) and mobility (Activity 12 - walking triggers symptoms). List POTS as a SEPARATE condition on your form so its effects on each activity are counted.

Gastroparesis and EDS

Many EDS patients develop gastroparesis (delayed stomach emptying), causing nausea, vomiting and malnutrition. This affects eating (Activity 2) and food preparation (Activity 1 - cooking when nauseous). If you have gastroparesis, claim for it separately.

The Assessment Problem

EDS assessments are notoriously problematic. Assessors often write "full range of movement" as if hypermobility is a GOOD thing. It isn't - it's the entire problem. Your joints move TOO MUCH, causing pain, instability and subluxations. If the assessor notes "good range of movement," challenge this at Mandatory Reconsideration: "The assessor recorded full range of movement. This is consistent with my diagnosis of EDS/hypermobility - excessive range of movement IS my condition. It causes joint instability, subluxations and chronic pain."

Daily Subluxations and PIP

If your joints sublux (partially dislocate) during daily activities, describe each incident type: "My shoulder subluxes when I reach above my head (washing hair, getting plates from cupboards). My fingers sublux when I grip objects (holding pans, using cutlery). My kneecap subluxes when I walk on uneven ground. These subluxations cause sudden severe pain and temporary loss of function in the affected joint."

Our example answers, including one for EDS and POTS, show this kind of detail written up in full for the moving around activity. If hypermobility pain or fatigue makes a long form hard to get through, see our guide to who can help you finish the PIP form.

EDS Subtypes - Specify Which You Have

• Hypermobile EDS (hEDS): Most common. No genetic test yet. Diagnosed clinically. Often includes POTS, MCAS, GI issues.
• Classical EDS (cEDS): Skin hyperextensibility, atrophic scarring, joint hypermobility. Caused by COL5A1/A2 mutations.
• Vascular EDS (vEDS): Life-threatening - blood vessels and organs can rupture. COL3A1 mutation. The SR1 special rules fast-track applies only if a medical professional has said you might have 12 months or less to live.
• Kyphoscoliotic EDS: Severe scoliosis from birth.
• Arthrochalasia EDS: Severe congenital hip dislocation.
• Dermatosparaxis EDS: Severe skin fragility.
• Brittle cornea syndrome: Eye fragility.
• Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD): Significant symptoms but does not meet 2017 EDS criteria. Same functional impact, same PIP eligibility.

Beighton Score and Other Diagnostic Tools

The Beighton Score (out of 9) measures joint hypermobility:

• 0-3: Normal range for adults (higher cutoff for children)
• 4-6: Generalised joint hypermobility
• 7-9: Severe generalised joint hypermobility

However, Beighton scores naturally decrease with age - a low current score does not exclude EDS if you were hypermobile when younger. The 5-Part Questionnaire (5PQ) assesses historical hypermobility. Ask for both if your current Beighton is low.

The Co-Morbidity Cluster

EDS rarely exists alone. Common comorbidities:

• POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome): Heart rate increase >30 BPM on standing. Affects 30-50% of hEDS patients.
• MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome): Allergic-type symptoms, GI issues, flushing.
• Gastroparesis and GI dysmotility: See dedicated guide.
• Tethered cord syndrome: Spinal cord tethering causing neurological symptoms.
• Craniocervical instability (CCI): Severe complication. Major surgery sometimes required.
• Chiari malformation: Brain herniation through skull base.
• Anxiety and depression: Significantly higher rates than population.
• Chronic fatigue: Often disabling.
• Migraine: Significantly increased rates.
• Dysautonomia: Beyond POTS, broader autonomic dysfunction.
• TMJ dysfunction: Jaw joint problems.
• Bladder issues: Frequency, urgency, prolapse.

List ALL these conditions on your form. The combined impact is what scores.

Hypermobility and fibromyalgia together

If you have been diagnosed with both hypermobility and fibromyalgia, list both diagnoses on the form. PIP gives points per activity, not per condition: in each activity the highest descriptor that applies to you counts, whichever condition causes it, so two diagnoses do not double the points for washing or walking. What matters is the combined effect. Unstable joints plus widespread pain, fatigue and brain fog can mean you need help in more activities, or a higher descriptor in each one, than either condition would cause alone, so describe how they work together in each answer. See our guides to PIP for fibromyalgia and filling in the PIP2 form with multiple conditions.

Subluxation Pattern - Document Specifically

If you experience subluxations or dislocations:

• Which joints (shoulder, hip, knee, fingers, jaw, ribs)
• How often (daily, weekly, with specific activities)
• What you do when it happens (manual relocation, A&E, self-reduction)
• Duration of post-subluxation pain (hours to days)
• Use of braces, tape or supports
• Activities you have stopped doing

Photos of dislocations (where safe to take) are powerful evidence. Some claimants maintain a dislocation diary.

POTS Detailed Impact

POTS is diagnosed by:

• Heart rate increase >30 BPM (or to >120 BPM) within 10 minutes of standing
• Tilt table test or active stand test

Treatment includes increased salt and fluid intake, compression stockings, midodrine, fludrocortisone, ivabradine, beta-blockers. POTS prevents standing for any length of time - directly impacts Activities 1, 4, 12.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you get PIP for hypermobility?

Yes, when hypermobility spectrum disorder or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome limits daily living tasks or moving around on more than half of days. PIP is based on how the condition affects you, not the diagnosis, so points come from descriptors such as needing an aid to cook (2 points), help getting in or out of the shower (3 points) or only being able to walk 20 to 50 metres reliably (8 points, or 10 with an aid). You need 8 points in daily living or mobility for the standard rate and 12 for the enhanced rate.

Can you claim PIP for hypermobility syndrome (HSD)?

Yes. Hypermobility spectrum disorder, which the NHS still calls joint hypermobility syndrome, is assessed in the same way as EDS: on whether you can do each activity safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly and in a reasonable time. You do not need an EDS diagnosis. Letters from your GP or physiotherapist describing your subluxations, pain, falls and the aids you use can support the claim.

Can you get PIP for hypermobility and fibromyalgia?

Yes, when the two together limit daily tasks or walking on more than half of days. List both diagnoses on the form. Points are given per activity, not per condition: in each activity the highest descriptor that applies to you counts, so describe the combined effect of unstable joints, widespread pain and fatigue on each task rather than each condition separately.

I was told it's "just hypermobility" - can I still claim?

Yes. Whether you have a formal EDS diagnosis or hypermobility spectrum disorder (HSD), PIP is based on functional impact, not diagnosis. If your joints cause pain, instability and daily difficulties, you can claim.

Should I show the assessor how flexible I am?

No. Demonstrating hypermobility at assessment is counterproductive. The assessor may interpret it as "good mobility" rather than understanding that excessive flexibility IS the pathology. Explain verbally what your joints do and why that's a problem.

I am awaiting EDS diagnosis - can I claim?

Yes. Diagnostic waits are long (12-36 months in many NHS regions). Submit current functional impact evidence. GP, physiotherapist and rheumatologist letters confirming hypermobility and impact can support a claim while you wait.

I have hypermobile EDS but no genetic test - is that ok?

Yes. There is currently no genetic test for hEDS. Diagnosis is clinical, based on 2017 criteria. Your specialist letter confirming hEDS diagnosis is sufficient evidence.

I am on multiple medications - what should I include?

List everything: pain medications (gabapentin, amitriptyline, opioids), POTS medications (midodrine, ivabradine, fludrocortisone), GI medications (prokinetics, anti-emetics), allergy medications (antihistamines, mast cell stabilisers). Needing help, prompting or supervision with medication scores 1 point under Activity 3 (descriptor 3b) however many drugs you take, so the list matters mainly as evidence of how severe each condition is.