Barbara Skedd was in "absolute horror" when she opened a letter addressed to her executors offering them condolences on her death.
The 74-year-old received a letter to her Ibstock home, in Leicestershire, from North West Leicestershire District Council in May to update its council tax records following the family's "recent bereavement".
And that's not all:
Skedd said she was in tears after the initial shock of reading that she had died in the council letter, dated 21 May.
She said anger then followed when she discovered all her benefit money, including her Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB), pension and pension credit - had been frozen.
"Everything stopped dead," she told the BBC.
"I've not had money to buy food, no money to put petrol in my car. I can't do anything or go anywhere.
There's more:
She contacted the government department several times to correct the issue and was told an officer would visit her to confirm she was alive, she added.
"That horrified me to be honest," she said.
"I said, 'I'm talking to you. What more proof do you need?'"
Skedd said since the visit she has had "no explanation, no apologies, nothing" from the DWP.
"Just tell me why it all happened," she said.
No comments:
Post a Comment