The new housing benefit reforms could force UK pensioners into a position they first thought was not possible - to rely solely on themselves. As of right now, up to 80,000 pensioners renting privately face the possibility of losing over 10 pounds per week in benefit payments.

Age, although not a changeable condition, is a major variable when it comes to payments for food and heating.

Housing Minister Grant Shapps stepped in to reject the claims that the elderly would be worse off after the changes are implemented.

Age UK has strong feelings about the changes coming and is soliciting support through public comments. When the reforms come, the organization is concerned the elderly will have difficulty moving home or renegotiating their rent.

Policy director, Andrew Harrop, discussed the possible cuts recently with the media, saying: "We know from the government's own estimates that 80,000 older people are on local housing allowance and all of them would lose out, on average losing £12 a week, some of them losing £30 a week.

"One of our concerns is the government is expecting landlords to drop their rent as a result of this policy and we just don't know if that will happen."

Even with the possible changes to benefits, the National Landlords Association has proclaimed that landlords across the UK will probably not change the cost of rent.

Conversely, Grant Shapps has remarked on why he feels pensioners will not be worse off when the changes are implemented by saying: "Number one... there's a very reasonable chance that the landlord may well reduce rents.

"Secondly, there's a very large discretionary fund - 14 times its current size - to help.

"And number three, even under a situation where someone does end up needing to move... the local housing allowance system means there's still up to one third of properties within your local area which you can move to."