"Give us the freedoms and flexibilities to actually devise the schemes that work best for the communities that we serve, " he added.

BBC: 'Millions of low-income households' face council tax rise

However, the council said it had been able to take advantage of new flexibilities to limit the overall reduction in expenditure on the programme to 10.4%.

BBC: Protest in York over cuts for disability services

Despite initially opposing the DUP's amendment, Sinn Fein and the SDLP decided not to oppose it after Mr McCausland said a unified voice would send the strongest message to Westminster to "deliver the flexibilities that we want, we need and we require".

BBC: Housing benefit