VULNERABLE families could be "slammed" by changes to council tax support in West Oxfordshire, opposition councillors have warned.

Duncan Enright, leader of the district council Labour group, said the move risked putting pressure on people "already least able to cope".

His comments came after Conservative-run West Oxfordshire District Council proposed capping the amount of council tax relief given to working families.

The district council says it will make the system "fair for everyone", but Mr Enright warned it could backfire and hit the most vulnerable.

He said: "West Oxfordshire is already an area of high housing costs, a housing shortage, high costs of living and low average wages, so we would not want people to get slammed by further costs."

The council support scheme helps working age people on low incomes by reducing their council tax payments.

Under proposals out for consultation, new restrictions would be placed on claims on this assistance.

These would change the way relief is calculated so only a maximum of two children in a family would be taken into account.

Backdated claims would also be limited to one month and the period someone could be absent from the country and still make a claim would be cut to four weeks.

Mr Enright said the changes would cut payments to families with more than two children and cause them to "really struggle".

He added: "We are not saying don't make any changes – because we do not want to hand out benefits to those who do not really need them – but clearly this is worrying, because the levels of inequality in this area are already stark."

As it stands, the maximum discount is 91.5 per cent and this would not change under the district council's proposals, which would come into effect from April 2017 if agreed after consultation.

The district council said it would bring the scheme in line with the Government's Universal Credit and housing benefit payments and ensure "it remains fair for everyone".

Councillor Toby Morris, cabinet member for resources said: "Our proposed changes will make the scheme easier for claimants to understand as the principles will be similar to housing benefit and Universal Credit.

"I can assure residents that the level of support given by the council to those on low incomes and in the greatest need will remain the same."

Residents identified as vulnerable or in receipt of a state pension will not be impacted by any of the changes, the council said.

The consultation deadline is October 28. A report will then be considered by councillors in January.