Q Can you advise if my mother-in-law, a widow aged 84, is paying the correct rent and Council Tax? She has a State pension of £94.72 a week, a pension from work of £66.92 a week and £2,000 in the building society. Out of this, she is paying rent of £59.45 a week and Council Tax of £13.39 a week.

A She is paying far too much. She is due for Housing Benefit that will reduce her rent to about £23 and Council Tax Benefit that will reduce her liability to about £8 a week.

Q Could we qualify for Pension Credit and Council Tax Benefit? I have a State Pension of £84.64 a week and a works pension of £128.41 a month. My husband has a State Pension of £82.01 a week and £5,000 savings.

A As your joint income is below £220 a week and at least one of you has reached 65, you are eligible for Pension Credit. In your circumstances, that means about £10 a week. Council Tax Benefit will also reduce your Council Tax to about £180 a year.

Q I worked for a company in Newton Aycliffe from 1964 to 1974 and paid into a pension. How can I find out if there is any pension owing to me when I retire next year?

A Try The Pension Tracing Service, Whitley Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE98 1BA. Telephone (0845) 600 2357.

Q We sold our business last year for £200,000 and bought a house from the proceeds. We are now living on the residue of £85,000 and have no income apart from this. Is there any help we can claim between now and when our private pensions become payable when we reach 60 in three years' time?

A Unlikely. Your capital is too high for you to qualify for any benefits paid for being on a low income. As regards non-means tested benefits, based on National Insurance, you cannot get Jobseeker's Allowance if you have been paying self-employed contributions and you can only get Incapacity Benefit if you are too ill to do any form of work.