Q Between us my wife and I have State Pensions of £161.06 a week plus a works pension of £14.87 a month and savings of £8,000. My wife gets Attendance Allowance (AA) and our son lives with us, helping out with the rent of £54.20 and council tax of £21.74 a week. Can we get any help?

A Yes. As your wife has AA your son is ignored, giving you over £50 a week in benefits. If you claim underlying entitlement to Carer's Allowance for looking after your wife, you will get even more.

Q My council tax has gone up to £670 a year. My State Pension is £101 a week and my private pension is £10 a week. My savings are under £6,000. Is any help due?

A Yes. £11.11 a week.

Q I am a pensioner on Income Support. Is it right that my daughter who lives with me is expected to put £7.40 a week towards the rent, even though she only has Jobseeker's Allowance.

A Yes, I am afraid so.

Q When my wife claimed Carer's Allowance for looking after me, I lost her share of my Incapacity Benefit (IB), leaving our income unchanged. Yet the council has put my council tax up and say I have been overpaid benefit. Can this be right?

A No. Your wife getting Carer's Allowance should mean you get more help with your council tax, not less. It looks as though the Council has not taken account of the drop in your IB. They owe you, so query it.

Q My partner and I will be retiring in a couple of years. We will each receive a full State Pension plus some Serps. Will we lose anything if we get married?

A No, you will continue to be treated as two single people. If you marry, part of the Serps would pass on to the surviving spouse when one of you dies.

Q My self-employed husband gets his State Pension next year. I am 55. What can I get?

A He can claim extra for you, currently £46.35 a week, provided you earn no more than £54.65 a week.