Wells residents are being told to brace for disruption as Somerset Council shuts down its old Mendip council tax and benefits system at the end of the month.

The council says the shutdown is part of a wider upgrade that will eventually bring easier payment options and a new online customer portal. But until then, the current system will be offline for at least three weeks.

That means no new claims or changes can be processed, and some online forms will be unavailable. Housing benefit payments and direct debits will carry on as normal, and residents can still pay online or by using the automated phone line.

Cllr Liz Leyshon, deputy leader of the council, admitted there would be short-term pain but said the new set-up will "make it easier for people to manage their accounts, make payments, and access support online".

Once the system is live, future bills will include barcodes for payments at Post Offices and PayPoint outlets, and a new portal will give residents instant access to their council tax details.

The council is also warning people in Wells to be alert to scams, reminding residents it will never ask for bank details over the phone, by email or by text.