Gobsmacked gran sent 1p council tax demand

A GRANDMOTHER has spoken of her shock after receiving an unexpected bill from the city council – for 1p.

Doris Nelson, 73, said she was gobsmacked when the letter arrived at her Royston home, advising her that her council tax benefit had been overpaid.

She said: "I couldn't believe it. I know these letters are probably churned out by a computer, but how much does it cost to send me this and how many more like this are being sent out at a time when the council is trying to make efficiency savings?"

The grandmother-of-one recently moved to a new house on Royston Mains Crescent having lived further up the street in a flat for 20 years.

The pensioner said she had received a string of letters from the local authority regarding her council tax before moving last month, with this final one arriving in the last fortnight.

She said: "I was getting them all the time. It got to the stage I didn't want to open them any more. At one point, I was told I was in arrears and then the council ended up owing me money.

"When I phoned about this letter, I asked the man on the phone what to do. I told him I owed the council a penny and how should I pay it. I asked whether it was best to come in a taxi or by cheque?

"He started laughing. He told me to forget about it in the end."

Susie Squire, political director of The Taxpayers' Alliance, described the situation as "absurd", revealing she had never heard of someone being chased for such a small amount.

She said: "Never for a penny, sometimes for £5 or £10 but not this. I am sure there was no bad intention here, but there should be more checking to prevent such worry and waste in the future."

Green councillor Alison Johnstone – who told yesterday how she was sent a recorded delivery letter from the same floor as her office – said it was another example of council waste.

She said: "This does not make the council look very compassionate or efficient.

"It's concerning if we are worrying citizens who have made an effort to make sure they are up to date with payments.

"It's about being sensible. Perhaps it's time the council adopted a policy whereby if it is costing more to send out a letter than we're getting back, maybe the amount should be written off."

Convener of the finance and resources committee, Councillor Phil Wheeler, said it would not be appropriate to comment on the details of an individual's account.

He said: "I can say, however, that if the amount given in council tax benefit to a claimant is recalculated due to a change in circumstances, then legally that must be communicated in writing.

"The claimant is not asked to pay the bill separately – the change would be set against the claimant's council tax account."

He added: "In these challenging financial times, ensuring that the council communicates in the most efficient manner with people in Edinburgh is a top priority.

"There are plans to move to providing an e-billing option to further help reduce postage and reduce our use of paper."