Pension credit & Private Pension

HI All:)
I transferred over from the ESA Support Group over to my Partners claim for his State Pension and Pension Credit claim due to us being a mixed age couple and the government changes that took place last year. This claim has been running since 2019. At the time we applied I told them I have a small private pension that I wasn't in receipt of and wouldn't be taking until I reach my pension age which will be in 2022. I had checked about this pension previously with Gordon when I was in receipt of my esa claim and the rules were as Gordon explained "it was my choice to take it when I chose to as long as it wasn't after my retirement date. And this is also the same as far as I know for Pension credit . When applying for the pension credit claim I also asked the same question to the person who was filling in our application on our behalf on the phone at the Pension credit agency and he told me the same thing Gordon had. That it would be disregarded till I reach pensionable age myself and it wouldn't be classed as notional income till then If I chose not to take it. Today we have received a letter saying that they are classing it as notional income and from December 2020 they will be reassessing the claim and will deduct the amount off the pension credit claim. I'm not aware of any changes in the rules and if there are changes maybe someone can advise of them. If there hasn't been any changes I'm wondering how they can just do this when there has been no other change of circumstance on the claim. I hope someone can help with my query . I am a longt term member and have alway found the work the moderators do is amazing ... So thank you in anticipation and hope everyone is staying safe as can be in these turbulent times
Regards to all

Thank you for getting back to me Gordon
My partner has claimed his SP now and we also applied for PC at the same time and we received it a couple of months later .. so the claim has been up and running with no change of circumstance and no problem
This is definitely my Personal Pension in my own right and I told them when we were appling for PC that I was taking it at my retirement age which is in 2022. The guy filling the form in for us said yes that was ok to do

I will contact them again tomorrow .. hopefully I won't be waiting another 90 mins for a reply

Thank you again your help is much appreciated
Best regards