Protesters travelled to Cardiff Bay to join the protest

Up to 30 people travelled from west Wales to demonstrate over bills which they said had become more unfair since council tax bands were changed.

The main opposition parties all called for more help for older people.

The assembly government said it had set spending guidelines and councils which broke them could have budgets capped.

About 30 people from the Carmarthenshire Older People's Forum , some with banners supporting a reform group called Is It Fair, gathered at the assembly in Cardiff Bay on Wednesday to voice their concerns.

Although (our houses) are now worth considerably more than we paid for them, it doesn't add a penny to our income Protester Maureen Jenner

It was part of a day of action staged by pensioner groups across the UK.

One, Maureen Jenner, said: "A lot of us are living in properties where we might have been for many years and although they are now worth considerably more than we paid for them, it doesn't add a penny to our income.

"The fact that they are supposedly now worth �250,000 doesn't mean a thing to us."

Opposition parties say pensioners have been hit hard

Ana Palaz�n, of Help the Aged in Wales said: "Council tax is an issue that has provoked real anger among older people on fixed incomes over the last few years."

She said older people would be pleased by the announcement by Conservative leader Michael Howard last weekend that a Tory government would cut their council tax bills with rebates.

However, this would apply only in England, as local government finance is devolved to the Welsh assembly.

'Root-and-branch reform'

Ms Palaz�n said older people felt they had been "unfairly penalised by large rises in council tax".

But she said rebates would not make the system fairer, and Help the Aged still wanted "root-and-branch reform."

Up to one in three Welsh householders face higher council tax bills after their homes were revalued because of changing property prices.

These are not your usual protesters Plaid Cymru AM Dai Lloyd

About 33% of homes will go up at least one band for the next financial year, and 8% will go down.

Local Government Minister Sue Essex said the assembly government was in close dialogue with councils, and any failing to comply with the ruling would face measures that could include capping.

Later, Ms Essex added that the ability to pay council tax was important to pensioners and the assembly government backed a campaign to raise awareness of the help available.

She also said an extra �7.4m was made available to Welsh councils, and they could decide whether to spend it on services or to cut tax.

Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats want to replace the tax with a local income tax based on ability to pay.

Plaid AM Dai Lloyd said: "These are not your usual protesters and feelings are running high."

Nick Bourne, leader of the Conservatives in the assembly, said Welsh Tories supported the rebate announced by Mr Howard for England and would "put pressure on the Welsh Assembly Government to introduce something similar in Wales."

Mr Bourne said the rises "have been worse in Wales than in England or Scotland and have been particularly cruel on pensioners who have to survive on fixed incomes."

Liberal Democrat AM Mick Bates said: "I am pleased to see that more and more people from all parts of Wales are realising that council tax, which has risen at a rate far above that of pensions, is not fair.

Mr Bates said rebanding could put up many bills by 15-20%.