PENSIONERS across Flintshire have suffered a reduction in a grant towards the cost of their council tax.
Last year eligible OAPs received a one-off payment of £23.50 from the Welsh Government Pensioner Grant Scheme.
But this year they have been awarded just £18.50 – the equivalent of 35p per week.
A spokesman for Age Cymru said: “Every penny counts for people on a low fixed income and we are all feeling the pinch.
“When they have no other means of income, it can be very frustrating for them.
“The fact that so many more people have applied for this grant indicates that there are lots of people suffering financial pressure.”
This year an extra 1,527 pensioners have so far applied for the Flintshire Council-administered grant, which meant claimants got a smaller share.
The grant is not means tested but pensioners who meet certain qualifying criteria.
They must be 60 or over, be liable to pay council tax on their main Flintshire residence, be in receipt of state retirement pension or pension credit but not receiving any council tax benefit in order to qualify for the grant.
The value of individual grants is dependent on the number of previous and new applications received.
A Flintshire Council spokesman said the Welsh Government had provided an extra £5,000 to help administer the scheme, adding: “The council has provided financial assistance to pensioner households in the most cost-effective way possible, ensuring that administrative costs are kept to a minimum.
“Last year, the council awarded 6,878 grants to pensioners to help with their council tax payments.
“This year, following a very successful publicity campaign to promote take-up of the grant again, the council has awarded a total of 8,405 grant awards, an increase of 1,527 on last year.
“Last year’s grant was £23.50 unless a recipient’s council tax liability was less than that amount, in which case it the grant was capped to the liability.
“The same applies to this year’s grant.”
Pensioners who have not yet made an application for the £18.50 grant can call 01352 704848 or download an application form at www.flintshire.gov.uk/pensionergrant.