Mixed age couple worried sick about changes to PC.

Hi, I am 61 and my partner is 75. I have been unable to work for over 25 years and am in the support group of ESA. I used to get DLA high mobility and low care. When I was moved to PIP even though ATOS said my condition had got worse I lost my car and was moved to low care and low mobility.

My partner still gets DLA. In addition to my ESA and my partners reduced state pension we get Pension Credit and Housing benefit. With supplements as I am a carer and we both get the care part of DLA/PIP.

Recently we both received letters from the DWP, mine re the HB and my partner re the PC, saying that if our circumstances change after 19 May we would lose our HB and PC and would have to claim UC. I know this would mean the loss of a great proportion of our income, to say nothing of the conditions I would have to fulfil to claim UC.

Is there anything I can do to mitigate against this? For example I have looked into the maths and as a couple we would get less (what with bedroom and council tax) if I claimed UC than my partner would if I just disappeared from the benefit system! I have paid enough stamps to get my pension when I get to 66.

Prior to the Tories getting into government I was looking forward to retiring with full benefits last year with none of these worries. Then the government moved the goal posts, although it meant I could not retire in my own right for another 6 years, at least it was just a matter of waiting another 6 years together, now this latest bombshell is worrying me sick. Not sure how much more this government can take from us.