Q I am severely disabled, receiving Disability Living Allowance for care and mobility. I also have £179.20 a week Incapacity Benefit and Income Support, including an allowance for the interest on my mortgage. What worries me is that, when I am 60 next year, my Income Support will stop, forcing me to sell my house. Also I will lose help with things such as teeth, glasses and council tax that go with Income Support.

A Stop worrying. You will not have to sell your house. At 60, Income Support will be replaced by the more generous pension Credit. This will give you about £15 a week more than you get now and you will have the same concessions for teeth, glasses and council tax.

Q Could a home-owning couple, aged 67 and 66, with a monthly works pension of £387.65 and weekly State Pensions of £99.24 and £47.65 plus £7,000 savings, get help with council tax of £115 a month?

A Yes. They would be due a reduction of £10.74 a week.

Q I have just been made redundant at the age of 58 and I care for my disabled mother. She receives Attendance Allowance at the higher rate. Can I claim Carer's Allowance for looking after her and would I be allowed to earn any money if I did?

A If you care for your mother for 35 hours or more a week you would be eligible for Carer's Allowance of £44.35 a week. That is provided you are not receiving certain other benefits, such as Jobseeker's Allowance. You can earn up to £79 a week without Carer's Allowance being affected.

Q Is it right that we were refused Council Tax Benefit? Our total weekly income is £243 and we have capital of £16,623. Would we qualify for Pension Credit?

A As your income is more than £211.50 a week, you cannot get Pension Credit. Savings of more than £16,000 will disqualify you from Council Tax Benefit unless you have a particularly low income. If your savings were exactly £16,000 you could get a reduction if your council tax bill was more than £850.