A council that replaced staff with machines to collect council tax payments to save costs is now making staff available to help the disabled after complaints about discrimination.

The money-go-round started with Wyre Forest District Council replacing staff with machines to save money.

The £13,000 machines let residents in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, pay council tax and save £25,000 a year in staff costs.

Disabled taxpayers are complaining they cannot use the machines because they are at the wrong height for wheelchair users.

To resolve the problem, the council is now making customer service staff available to help people with difficulties in using the machines.

Mark Lawley, of Disability Action Wyre Forest (DAWF), has complained that he cannot see the machine properly and people queuing behind him can see personal data on the screen.

“The council has not thought this through and these machines are discriminating against the disabled,” he said.

“Under access to services rules in the Equality Act 2010, the self-service machines fail because wheelchair users can’t use them. A lot of people like me are upset because the council clearly has not considered our needs and just must the changes on financial grounds.”

The council said: “The kiosks have been installed as an initiative for the council to save money.

“We are aware that there are issues for people with disabilities and we are working to address them by providing alternative ways for people to pay and having customer service advisers on hand to help people who may have specific difficulties.”

Under the Equality Act, a disabled person suffering indirect discrimination, like a business setting up a telephone help line that excludes the deaf, can be awarded compensation.

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