Q I am a 52-year-old woman and have worked for most of my life, paying full National Insurance contributions. I expect to qualify for a State Retirement pension, but I am not sure when that will be. I have heard that pension ages for women are changing. Will this affect me?

A Yes. Women born after April 5, 1950, will not get their pensions at 60 as they do now. Being born in 1953 means you will not get yours until you are about 63. The precise age depends upon your date of birth.

Q I will be eligible for my State Retirement Pension next year, but I may carry on working for a while. Will I still be able to draw my pension even if I do not retire? I have also heard I can put off claiming it and get more. How does this work?

A You can get your State Pension whether you are working or not and regardless of how much you earn. You can put off claiming it and draw either a higher pension or a lump sum when you finally decide to take it. The higher pension means an extra 10.4 per cent for each year you put off claiming. The lump sum includes all your unclaimed pension, as well as interest paid at two per cent above the Bank of England rate.

Q I receive long-term Incapacity Benefit of £76.45 a week. My wife has reached 60, but does not qualify for a State Pension because she did not pay full National Insurance. Does she have to wait the three years until I reach 65 before anything can be claimed for her?

A Not necessarily. Now she is 60, you may be able to claim extra Incapacity Benefit for her of £45.70 a week. That is provided she does not have earnings, company pension or private pension of more than £56.20 a week.

Q My mother is a 75-year-old widow with an income of £166 a week, including my father's pension. Is she due for a council tax rebate?

A Probably. After the deduction of Council Tax Benefit, she should be paying no more than about £420 a year.