Q My husband has a state pension of £90.92 a week and mine is £46.83. Our combined works pensions are £141.64 monthly and our savings are £4,500. We both get Attendance Allowance but no one receives benefit for looking after us. We get a full council tax rebate but wonder if we are due any more?

A You are due Income Support of £64 a week. In a perfect world the council would have told you this when they calculated your rebate.

Q I am a widow of 79 with a weekly state pension of £87.57 and fortnightly superannuation of £48.98. The council tax for my bungalow is £64 and my savings are £1,400. Can I get any benefit to help with repairs to the property?

A Nothing specifically for repairs I am afraid, but you should be claiming council tax benefit of nearly £10 a week.

Q You recently said that retirement pension starts on the Monday following the day you reach pension age. What happens if, like me, your 65th birthday is a Monday?

A Your pension will start on your birthday.

Q I am living on income-based Jobseeker's Allowance of £53.95 a week. I have a daughter whom I see at weekends but I get no extra for this, being treated as single for benefit purposes. Is this right?

A Only one person can receive an allowance in respect of a child. This is usually the one who gets the Child Benefit.

Q I have worked for the past 18 years paying full National Insurance but, at 55, I am having problems doing my job because of neck pains. Can I get Incapacity Benefit (IB) and, if so, would it continue until I reach pension age?

A You have paid enough contributions so, if your doctor certifies you unfit to do your normal job, you could get IB of £53.50 a week for six months. Thereafter, however, you could only get benefit if you were accepted as being too ill to do any work.