QUESTION: I have my gas from British Gas and always struggle to pay my winter bills. I am an old age pensioner on Pension Credits and Attendance Allowance. Why can't British Gas help us?

ANSWER: British Gas has said it will provide rebate payments for winter 2006/7 of up to £90 for some of its most vulnerable customers, but the scheme is limited to 300,000 rebates and is first come, first served. You must be in receipt of a qualifying benefit to register - ie Disability Living Allowance, Pension Credit, Attendance Allowance, Carer's Allowance, War Disablement Pension, Severe Disablement Allowance, Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit (annual household income of £14,600 or less), Income Support, Income-based Jobseekers Allowance, housing and Council Tax benefit. To register your interest in the scheme telephone 01845 601 2006.

QUESTION: I have to pay for my prescriptions and have heard that the charges are to increase soon. Could you advise when and how much the new charges will be?

ANSWER: From April 1 prescription charges will increase to £6.65 for a single item, £34.65 for a four-month pre-payment certificate and £95.30 for a 12-month one.

QUESTION: I bought a second-hand digital camera on a popular internet action site and when it arrived I found it did not work properly and the instruction book was missing. What can I do?

ANSWER: You have very few rights if you have bought this from a private individual. You cannot complain if the goods are not of satisfactory quality or fit for the purpose you bought them. Also, you do not have the right to cancel your order.

However, you do still have the right to complain to the seller if your goods do not match the description they have given on the website. This applies to second-hand, as well as new goods. If the goods do not match the description, you may be entitled to compensation from the seller. But you might need to go to court to try to get this, and even if you win your case the seller might not have enough money to pay you. You have more rights if the seller is a business trader.

Some internet sites have a protection scheme. These schemes can deal with problems such as non-delivery of goods or goods not matching their description. They can be useful if you want to avoid going to court, or the seller is from overseas, so it is worth checking if you can make a claim under one of these schemes.

Information provided by the Wyre Forest Citizens Advice Bureau, 21-23 New Road, Kidderminster. Tel: 01562 823953.