Will friend be penalised if partner moves in

Lindsey1973

My friend is in poor health. She is 70 years old and receives PIP, pension, pension credit and housing benefit.  If her partner, who is 75 years old and only receives state pension moves in with her will she be any worse off financially. Thank you in advance

Brie

As I understand it her pension won't be affected.  As far as I know the partner's SP wouldn't be affected either.  

Not sure about pension credit and housing benefit.  

I didn't think someone aged 70 could get PIP.  Do you mean attendance allowance?  As that wouldn't be affected.

There may be some leeway for someone moving in to do some caring.

kaMelo

Someone who is state pension age cannot claim PIP however someone who already qualfies for PIP and subsequently reaches state pension age keeps the PIP claim.
Pension credit eligibility is based upon someone's personal and household circumstances, without figures it's impossible to say whether pension credit and subsequent full housing benefit will be affected by a partner moving in.

elsien

There will be two people splitting the bills, so even if her benefits do change he will obviously be paying his way with regards to everything else and that could be potentially balance out.
How come the partner doesn’t get pension credit as well?  They would need to claim this as a couple if he does move in. 

calcotti

If by partner you mean they will be a couple living together as if a man and wife then the Pension Credit will be affected and as a consequence of this the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction may be affected.

For a couple Pension Credit, HB and CTR must all be assessed on joint finances. If any guarantee PC remains payable then full HB and CTR will still be payable.

Her PC probably may include a Severe Disability Premium (£69.40/week) if nobody receives Carers Allowance or the carer element of UC for looking after her. This entitlement will be lost if a partner (in the sense of half a couple) moves in and the partner does not get a disability benefit then the SDP entitlement will be lost.

The partner could claim Carers Allowance for looking after her (assuming nobody else does already). They would not be entitled to receive CA if receiving SP but would establish an underlying entitlement to it. This would increase possible means tested benefit entitlement but this is only worth doing if there will be some entitlement - if the joint circumstances mean that even with the carer addition there is still no entitlement then it isn't worth claiming.