Q After reading in your recent column about a man in identical circumstances I realise I should have been getting council tax benefit for nine years up to 2001. Can I get backdated benefit?

A Sorry. This benefit can only be backdated for a year and then only if there is "good cause" for not claiming before. Ignorance of entitlement is not treated as "good cause".

Q My husband retires in March 2003. I am 58 with a part-time job. Will he be able to claim for me?

A If he is old enough to claim retirement pension (65) and gets the standard rate (£75.50), he can claim £45.20 a week, provided you earn under £53.93 a week.

Q I am shortly expecting to receive a personal injuries settlement that will be in excess of the Income Support capital limit. Will this affect my husband's Income Support?

A Yes. For couples, their savings are added together for Income Support purposes.

Q I have been given Reduced Earnings Allowance for life. Will I still get it if I become unemployed?

A Yes, but do not expect to get it for life. It is reduced by 75 per cent when you reach pension age.

Q I receive state pension plus council tax benefit that reduces my liability to £30 a year. Could I get Minimum Income Guarantee?

A No. If your income is high enough for you to pay part of your council tax, it is too high for you to get Minimum Income Guarantee.

Q My mother is a widow with state benefit of £537.60 a month and no savings. Can she get a rebate on her council tax of £672 a year?

A If she is 60 or over she could get a reduction of £5.67 a week. If she is younger, nothing doing I am afraid.

Q My wife's state pension is £45.20 a week and mine is £83.66 plus a mineworker's pension of £263.40 monthly. Can we have a reduction on our council tax of £754 a year?

A If your savings are under £6,000, you will get £6.57 a week council tax benefit.