Q I am a 78-year-old pensioner and applied for my retirement pension (RP) of £67.50 a week to be topped up by Income Support. In response to my claim I was given 35p a week. I have savings of £6,000. Is this right?

A Under the Minimum Income Guarantee you should have aweekly assessed income totalling £80.85. The savings you have of £6,000 count as £13 a week towards this, which means that £0.35 is all you are due.

Q As a widower of 73 years of age 1 get a State Pension of £81.64 a week and I have capital totalling £8648. What I would like to know is am I entitled to rebates on my Council Tax which is £9.30 a week and my rent which at present is £27.80 a week?

A Yes. After rebates have been taken into account your weekly payments should be £5.23 for Council Tax and £17 for rent plus any inclusive charges like water.

Q I have had to stop work twelve weeks before my Retirement Pension (RP) is due. At present I get £164.26 Incapacity Benefit (IB) fortnightly and my wife has a pension of just £13 a year. My RP will be £165.35 when it becomes due. What help can I get now, and what help when I receive my RP?

A Now you could get Income Support of £27.55 a week and a full Council Tax rebate. When your retirement pension is payable, you could still get a rebate if your Council Tax is more than £576 per annum.

Q My wife and I have State Pensions totalling, £131.32 per weekly and a monthly pension from work which adds up to a total of £269.70 Can we get a reduction on our Council Tax which is at present £91 a month?

A Yes. You are entitle to a reduction of £5 a week.

Q I am puzzled by the conflicting figures you have been quoting for those people who receive Incapacity Benefit (IB). I have seen figures of £113.39 and £81.70 per week. I myself receive only a weekly amount of £67.50. My question is why do others get so much?

A The thing that must be taken into account with IB is that it is very much dependent on a number of factors. These factors include whether extra can be paid for a partner and a person's age when going sick. But the biggest difference is caused by the more favourable rates for those who were on the benefit prior to April 1995.

Q I am presently in receipt Disability Living Allowance (DLA). Do the payments I receive allow me to qualify for the £10 Christmas Bonus?

A Yes. You should be receiving the Christmas bonus, and if you are not you shoul query it with the Department of Social Security