PIP for Hidradenitis Suppurativa - Can You Claim? Guide 2026

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic skin condition causing painful abscesses, tunnels under the skin, and scarring, typically in the armpits, groin, buttocks, and under the breasts. It is severely underestimated by PIP assessors because they often do not understand how debilitating it is. The pain, the wound management, the inability to move normally, and the psychological impact all affect PIP activities significantly.

Which Activities Does HS Affect?

Preparing Food (Activity 1) – Abscesses under the arms make raising your arms to reach cupboards, stir pots, or lift pans agonising. Groin lesions make standing painful. If you cannot lift your arms or stand due to active flares, you cannot safely prepare food.

Washing and Bathing (Activity 4) – This is often the highest scoring activity for HS. Open wounds, draining abscesses, and extreme pain mean washing the affected areas is excruciating. Water hitting open lesions causes severe pain. You may need help cleaning and dressing wounds in areas you cannot reach. Bandaging after washing is time-consuming and may need assistance.

Managing Toilet Needs (Activity 5) – Groin and buttock lesions make sitting on a toilet painful. Cleaning after using the toilet is painful and risks infection to open wounds. You may need aids or help.

Dressing and Undressing (Activity 6) – Clothing rubbing against active lesions causes severe pain. You may need special loose clothing, specific fabrics, or help getting dressed to avoid disturbing bandages and wounds. Raising arms for clothing is painful with axillary HS.

Managing Therapy (Activity 3) – HS requires extensive daily wound care, dressing changes (often multiple times per day), antibiotics, biologics (infusions or injections), pain medication, dermatology appointments, and surgery. If wound care takes more than 3.5 hours per week, which it often does, this scores 4+ points.

Engaging with People (Activity 9) – HS causes extreme embarrassment and shame. Draining wounds can leak through bandages and clothing. The smell from active lesions causes people to avoid social situations entirely. Depression and anxiety from living with HS are very common.

Moving Around (Activity 12) – Groin, buttock, and inner thigh lesions make walking extremely painful. Each step rubs against active wounds. How far can you walk before the pain forces you to stop?

What Evidence Helps?

• Dermatologist letters – with Hurley staging if available
• Surgical records – if you have had incision and drainage or excision surgery
• Photos of active flares – dated, showing the severity of lesions
• Wound care records – from district nurses if involved
• GP records – frequency of antibiotics, flares, appointments
• Mental health evidence – if depression or anxiety are co-existing
• Statement from someone who helps you – wound care assistance, daily support

Frequently Asked Questions

The assessor has never heard of HS. What do I do?

This is common. Bring printed information about HS and photos of your active flares. The more visual evidence you can provide, the harder it is for an assessor to underestimate it. A dermatologist letter explaining the condition and its functional impact is essential.

My HS flares up and down. How do I describe this?

Describe the pattern: how often flares happen, how long they last, how bad they get, and what you cannot do during a flare. If flares happen more than 50% of the time, or if active wounds are always present somewhere on your body, describe this clearly. Even between major flares, the pain from scarring, the risk of new lesions, and the daily wound care are ongoing.