Casbow, you definitely need to get advice, so do ring Age UK. These people might also be able to help:
https://www.turn2us.org.uk/ . They are a charity that helps people figure out what benefits they may be entitled to. I have a snippet from a magazine and here's what it says about pension credit: "Currently people born before 5 July 1953, whose weekly income is
under £159.35 for a single person, or £243.25 for a couple, or who have a disability, are carers, or have certain housing costs, such as mortgage payments. Eligibility for people born later in 1953 starts rolling out from July 2017."
It also mentions Council Tax Support, for people on a low income, and an automatic 25% reduction in your Council Tax if you live alone.