How a friend moving in could affect your benefit payments

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 in to live 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 benefit.
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.
It would be worth considering whether or not your friend would qualify for a disability benefit – as you could both qualify for a Severe Disability Addition.
For more information on problems with Pension Credit and Carer’s Allowance, contact your local Citizens Advice centre by checking on the website at www.citizensadvice.org