Q My husband, who is 61, has developed swollen hands as a result of his job and fears he may have to give up work. I am 66 and my only income is a pension of £225 a month and another of £73 a quarter. If he stops work, what can he claim?

A As you are both over 60, either of you could claim Pension Credit if your husband stops work. That would bring your joint weekly income to £167.05 and he would not have to prove he was too ill to work in order to get it. If his condition is work-related, he might be able to claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, which could be to his long-term advantage.

Q Which pensioners will be getting lump sum payments this winter and how much will they receive?

A The payments are now more complicated than ever and I may have given insufficient detail when I wrote about them the other week. This year, there are two sorts of payments for older people - winter fuel payments and age-related payments, that some people refer to as council tax payments. Winter fuel payments are for people aged 60 and over and are £200 per pensioner household and £300 per pensioner household where there is someone 80 or over. Age-related payments are an additional £200 per pensioner household for those 65 and over. However, if someone is getting Guarantee Pension Credit, they will already be receiving maximum Council Tax Benefit. Therefore, they do not get £200. The Age-Related Payment for them is only £50 per pensioner household and is only payable to those 70 and over. Call the Winter Fuel Payments Hotline on 08459 15 15 15 to find out more.

Q An 88-year-old relative of mine has no benefit help apart from the single person's 25 per cent council tax reduction. Her State Pension is £85.17 a week and she has private pensions of £148.50 and £108.80 a month. She has about £9,200 savings. Is she due anything?

A Yes. Council Tax Benefit will reduce her liability to about £250 a year.