This year, authorities scrapped a 230 euro top-up pension he received a month, and chopped an additional 50 euros from his main pension.

The latest figures showed the biggest rise in benefit underpayments was in Pension Credit, a top-up to the state pension for low-income pensioners.

It says: " As in the current business rates system, there will also be a need for redistribution via a top-up and tariff system. "