Q I earn £320 a month but my job is getting too much for me. I have not always paid a full National Insurance (NI) stamp and wonder if I would get any benefit?

A If you are too sick to work you might get Incapacity Benefit at a starting rate of £53.50 a week but you must have paid full NI in recent years. Earnings below a certain level (£75 at present) do not count for NI contributions.

Q I am 54 and receive Incapacity Benefit (IB) and Income Support (IS) including mortgage interest. My old employer says I may take £100 a week pension and a £10,000 lump sum now if I wish. Would it be better for me to take it now or later?

A The pension will reduce your IB by £7.50 a week while the capital will not affect it. For IS purposes, you will be treated as having the lump sum whether you take it or not. This will bring your capital above the £8,000 savings limit for the under-60s, so you will lose your IS.

Q I am 56, four years older than my husband and wonder if I will have to wait until he is 65 before I get a pension? I have paid the full stamp for about 30 years.

A You should get a retirement pension based on your own contributions when you are 60. Thirty years of stamps should give you a 77 per cent pension - about £58 a week at current rates.

Q I am 63 and my wife is 58. I have Incapacity Benefit of £70.95 and a works pension of £19.75 a week. My wife works part-time for £15 a week and our savings are £500. What benefits are we due?

A Are you sure you have not left anything out? If you have not, you are missing out on £54.10 a week Income Support and full council tax rebate.

Q I was 60 on Tuesday, April 24, and my Incapacity Benefit (IB) stopped the day before. Why did my Retirement Pension (RP) not start until April 29? I have written to the Benefits Agency and to my MP, who is the Prime Minister, but have had no reply.

A IB stops at pension age, while RP starts on the pension pay day (Monday) after your birthday.