DCLG officials have refuted claims made by the Local Government Association (LGA) yesterday that council tax benefit funding is to be slashed by a further 8.5% from 2014/15.

Stevenage BC leader Cllr Sharon Taylor informed the LGA's executive meeting on 10 January an additional £280m would be sliced from the £3.3bn cash available to help vulnerable people who struggle to pay council tax in the next financial year.