My Pension Credit has ceased after friend moved in with me
The outcome of the £20/ week Covid uplift case for legacy benefits such as ESA, Income Support, etc. was finally published with an unsuccessful outcome for the four applicants.
It is not yet known if they are planning to appeal the judgement at The Court Of Appeal.
The judge hearing the case accepted the main argument put forward by The Government/DWP that the uplift was only given to UC claimants.
These claimants were likely to be new to the benefits system and may have faced hardship if they had suddenly lost their job or faced reduced income due to Covid/furlough etc. and were thus given this additional help.
Q. I have been claiming
Pension Credit for a few years alongside my Disability Living Allowance (high rate care).
My friend moved in with me three weeks ago and my
Pension Credit has stopped. I did not think that my Pension Credit was affected by having someone live with you unless they were living with you as a couple?
A. You are right that living together with someone as a couple would change your entitlement, however, it can also be affected if a friend moves lives with you in some circumstances.
It may be that you had a Severe Disability Addition included in your Pension Credit award – this can only be paid if you claim Disability Living Allowance care at the middle or high rate (or Attendance Allowance or Personal Independence Payment for daily living), if you do not have anyone being paid Carer’s Allowance to look after you and if you live alone or only with people who receive one of these disability benefits.
If your friend is not claiming one of these disability benefits then you would no longer be entitled to the Severe Disability Addition.
For some people this would cause a reduction in their Pension Credit, but for people who only receive a small amount it would cause the claim to stop altogether.
Consider whether or not your friend would qualify for a disability benefit – as you could both qualify for a Severe Disability Addition.
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