People living in the cheapest homes were hardest hit by Labour's council tax revaluation, according to figures released today by the Welsh Conservatives.

People living in band A to C properties were far more likely to move up one or more bands following the 2005 re-banding process in Wales, it has been revealed.

Figures released following Parliamentary questions show that 83,829 households moved from a Band A property to a higher band, 83,880 households jumped from a Band B and 61,554 households moved from Band C.

The details were released on the day Welsh Conservatives launched a nationwide advertising campaign to highlight council tax rises.

Conservatives said that the average Band D bill has doubled since 1997, meaning households were paying £509 more in council tax since Labour came to power.

Party local government spokesman David Melding said: 'Households across Wales are being clobbered by Labour's local stealth tax.

'This has all come about because of Labour's decision to shift the burden for council tax from central government to local authorities.

'It has left councils with the unenviable choice of either cutting services or raising council tax levels year-on-year because of the un-funded or under-funded demands dumped on them.'

Nick Bourne, leader of the Assembly's Welsh Conservatives, said: 'Pensioners and those on fixed incomes have been hit hardest of all by the massive council tax rises we have seen under Labour.

'Council tax revaluation is the cruellest Labour stealth tax of all.

'It has hit people up and down the country, regardless of their ability to pay.'

n Net change in households moving up one or more bands: Was Band A: 83,829; Was Band B: 83,880; Was Band C: 61,544;Was Band D: 41,915; Was Band E: 40,226; Was Band F: 11,396;Was Band G: 8,195 and Was Band H: 2,392.