Q Will my friend lose her pension if she and I share my house as companions? Her husband died five years ago when she was 58 and she has a pension based on his National Insurance. I am a widower.

A If she still receives a Widow's Pension, paid to women who were bereaved before April 9, 2001, she could lose it if you and she were deemed to be living as husband and wife. If it is a State Retirement Pension, which your friend could have opted for any time after reaching 60, nothing will affect it, not even re-marriage.

Q I receive Incapacity Benefit and a council tax rebate of £14.91 a week. If I take my company pension early, it would bring me £50 a week and capital of £18,000. How would this affect my benefits?

A Incapacity Benefit is only reduced if a company pension is more than £85 a week. However, the extra £50 a week alone would reduce your Council Tax Benefit by £10 a week and capital of over £16,000 would wipe it out altogether.

Q My wife is 60 next February. Should she claim pension on her own or have it added to mine? She has always paid the small stamp.

A She has no choice. Once she is of pension age any pension she is due comes to her. If she only paid the lower Married Woman's National Insurance, her State Pension will be based on your contributions. This will only be payable when you have both reached pension age, but it will be her pension nonetheless.

Q I am a 64-year-old single woman with a State Pension topped up to £109.45 a week with Pension Credit. Will I have anything more due when I am 65 and how do I claim it?

A As you get Pension Credit, any extra you are due at 65 should be paid automatically. This extra is called Savings Credit, but you will only get it if you have personal income, excluding Pension Credit, of more than £82.05 a week.