Hard-up villagers face losing hundreds of pounds in their benefit payments from April.

Claimants in South Cambridgeshire could lose up to 8.5 per cent of their council tax support when the district council takes on responsibility for the handout. At worst, this could be £5 a week – or more than £200 annually.

The cut was caused by the Government providing £1 million less for the scheme, but Liberal Democrats argued the Conservative-run council should have absorbed the reduction, rather than passing it on to residents.