Q As my wife has Attendance Allowance, I understood that I had an underlying entitlement to the Carer Premium of £25.10 a week. All I got, however, was Council Tax Benefit of 36p a week. What happened to the £25.10?

A Carer Premium is not a benefit in its own right. It is added into your needs allowance when Council Tax Benefit is calculated if you are classed as a carer. What it means in cash terms depends on your other income.

Q Our rent and Council Tax are reduced, because of our income, to £21.60 and £6.16 respectively. My husband gets £80.45 Incapacity Benefit and £45.92 Industrial Injury Benefit. I have a Retirement pension of £47.97 and Middle Rate Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for care. We had no savings but have just had a legacy of £10,000. How will this affect rent and Council Tax?

A Normally it would mean you paid about £13 more a week but your DLA means your husband could be eligible for the Carer Premium if he claims Carer's Allowance, like the previous reader. Then you would be paying less than you do now.

Q It said in the papers that the married couples' pension was going up to £123.80 in April. How come ours is only £122.04?

A The standard rate of Retirement Pension is now £77.45 and £46.35 for a married woman claiming on her husband's contributions. However, not all pensioners receive the standard rate. They will receive less if they do not have a full contribution record.

Q How much Council Tax should we be paying? Our State Pensions are £127.93 a week and my husband's works pension is £50 a week.

A After deduction of Council Tax Benefit you should be paying no more than about £292 a year.

Q I have a State Pension of £101.87 a week and my late husband's works pension of £131.85 monthly. I get Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for mobility and in June will receive an extra £57.20 a week for care. What help can I get with my Council Tax of £581 a year?

A Council Tax Benefit of £4.76 a week now. When you get your DLA for care, and if no one gets Carer's Allowance for looking after you, you could claim Minimum Income Guarantee of £10.86 a week and a full Council Tax Rebate.