Q Our joint State Pensions are £110.45 per week and joint company pensions of £257.53 a month. We have savings of £5,000. Can we have a rebate on our Council Tax of £640 a year?

A You qualify for a rebate of about £1 a week currently, but from April an increased rebate will reduce your Council Tax to about £400 for the year.

QI am 71 and have been told I must pay for all my dental treatment because I do not get any benefits. Is this right?

APeople on Income Support (IS) do not have to pay. You may get partial help if your income is too high for IS and your savings below £8,000. You can claim on form HC1 from the dentist within three months of the treatment.

QMy husband's State pension is £336.88 a month and his private pension £59.94 a month. My pension is £161.60 a month and our savings £11,000. Can we have a reduction on our Council Tax of £1,001?

AYes. Council Tax Benefit of £9.57 a week now and in April your Council Tax after rebate will be around £268.

QAt 57 I will soon be signing at the Jobcentre for "credits only". Does this mean I will be covered for sickness benefits until pension age at 65?

ANot entirely. To get Incapacity Benefit (IB) after April you must have actually paid some contributions as a worker in the recent past. You could only get IB if you had worked within three or four years of claiming.

QAt 58 I have taken early retirement on Incapacity Benefit because of prolapsed discs in my spine. Can I get Disability Living Allowance (DLA), mobility or Attendance Allowance (AA)?

ABenefit for mobility is part of DLA. DLA is paid to those who, when under 65, have care or mobility needs. AA is for care needs arising out of disability after someone has reached 65.

QDo our savings of £23,000 rule us out for Council Tax help?

AAfraid so. You are ineligible if savings exceed £16,000.