QI believe those, like me, who get Disability Living Allowance for care can get an allowance for their carer. My wife, aged 72, has to do more for me now. Does this apply to her?

AUnfortunately not. To get Invalid Care Allowance the carer must claim before they are 65.

QMy Retirement pension is £64.42 a week and I have two works pensions totalling £179.20 a month. My savings are £11,000. Can I get a reduction on my rent of £196.34 a month and Council Tax of £55.94 a month?

AYes. After rebates your monthly basic rent and council tax will be reduced to £94.25 and £34.80 respectively. A gain of about £120 a month.

QSince an accident in 1999 I have been receiving Income Support, Incapacity Benefit, Industrial Injuries and Disability Living Allowance for mobility. I will soon receive compensation including for loss of earnings. Which of these benefits will I have to repay out of my compensation?

AAll of them.

QOur basic rent is £56.54 a week and our council tax £720 a year. Our joint state pension is £149.45. My husband gets Attendance Allowance and I have an employment pension of £160.13 a month. Our savings are about £8,600. Could we get any rebates?

AYes: £2.50 a week off your council tax and £20 a week off your rent.

QWhen my husband died in 1999 I unexpectedly received £1,000 from the DSS. Will my family receive something similar when my time comes?

AWhat you received is now called a Bereavement Payment and has since gone up to £2,000. However, it can only be paid to a surviving spouse subject to certain conditions.

QWe sold our home and moved into a rented council bungalow. An insurance agent has told us if we invest £20,000 from the proceeds of the sale in a bond, this will not be counted when housing and council tax benefits are assessed. Is this right?

ANo. All capital of this sort is counted.