Q I am a widow of 77, living with my son, aged 43, who gets Jobseeker's Allowance of £53.95 a week. As he spends this on fares and other expenses to do with looking for work he cannot pay me anything for his board and this is a real burden on me. Can he get Income Support?

The Jobseeker's Allowance he gets is the Income Support for the unemployed and is all he is entitled to. Are you sure you, yourself, are getting all the benefits you are due?

My friend has asked me to write to you to see if I can claim any rebate on my council tax, although I do not think I can. The state pensions for myself and my wife, plus pension from a former employer add up to £204.03 a week. Our council rent is £48.34 on top of council tax.

You do not say what council tax you pay but I suspect it is too much. A rebate would reduce it to £563 a year. Also your basic rent should be no more than £35.24.

As a woman, at what age will I draw my state pension? My date of birth is April 29, 1951.

Women born before April 6, 1950, get their pensions at 60. Those born after April 6, 1955 will have to wait until they are 65. Those inbetween will be staggered by dates of birth. Thus your pension age will be 61 years and one month.

How much council tax and rent should I be paying? Council tax is £828.42 a year and rent is £49.43 over 47 weeks. We have state pensions weekly of £45.94 and £86.20 and my husband's works pension is £320.57 a month.

Council tax should be no more than £583 and basic rent no more than £40.32.

My husband reaches 65 in October next year with a full retirement pension. I will only be 58 and not working. Will he be able to claim for me regardless of savings?

He can claim an addition for you (currently £45.20 a week) if you have no personal or occupational pension above a certain level (currently £53.95 a week). Savings do not matter.