Katie Spencer-Nairn, who lives near Springfield, is a leading member of the Campaign Against Charges group set up in the wake of the introduction of the new charges earlier this year for services provided to the elderly and disabled.

Having seen her own charges rise from £4 to £192 a week, she has consistently argued that the increases are 'illegal and immoral' and should be scrapped.

Now the group has called on those affected to withhold payment of the controversial charges in a concerted effort to defeat a policy that they claim means that the elderly and disabled are paying for services used by other people.

This week Katie challenged social work bosses and politicians to clarify what they meant when they insisted that the income from the charges would be used to help people with the greatest need.

She said: "Fife House is currently being refurbished from top to bottom, while the disabled and elderly are being made to pay for a service that covers the most basic of necessities.

"Perhaps the present administration would like clarify who they regard as 'people with the greatest needs' and what they consider are front line services."

Peter Grant, leader of the administration on Fife Council, said it was no secret that Fife House was being refurbished in order to bring accommodation up to standard and to provide local authority staff with the modern, safe and clean working environment that they were entitled to.

He described as 'absolute nonsense' the claim that the elderly and disabled would suffer as a result, and accused the Campaign Against Charges of 'scaremongering'.

He said: "We are currently carrying out benefits and needs assessments and no new charges will be implemented until this process is complete.

"In many cases people will be better off as a result of these changes, but if there is a genuine reason why someone cannot afford to pay they will be visited by a social worker.

"There is no question of services being withdrawn."