DWP will assume they’re receiving a ‘notional’ income from their drawdown plan and calculate the Pension Credit (and any other means-tested benefits they receive) accordingly, regardless of the amount of drawdown income they're actually taking.  ‘Notional’ income is an amount equivalent to the income that the individual would receive if they had bought an annuity. DWP will also take capital of more than £10,000 into account, so their tax-free cash could also have an effect.