Computer mistake is blamed as Ethel Branton, 102, receives court threat

Published: 23 April 2010
by PETER GRUNER

A 102-year-old wom­an living in a care home was given a court summons and threatened with bailiffs after she was wrongly accused of owing hundreds of pounds in council tax.

Wheelchair-user Ethel Branton, from Wharf Road, at Angel, was told she had to pay £382.12 council tax plus costs.

But Town Hall officials have now admitted their mistake – due to a computer error – withdrawn the summons, apologised and offered Ethel £50 compensation.

Ethel’s son Bob, 79, said he was appalled by the summons which came amid several demands for money by the authorities, all sent to his mother’s care home at Bridgeside Lodge.

Mr Branton said: “This is just the latest example of my mum being wrongly pestered for money. Fortunately, she doesn’t understand what is going on. Otherwise she would have been really upset.”

Ethel, a great-grandmother, was living in sheltered accommodation in Mildmay Park, Newington Green, and receiving council tax and housing benefit until August last year.

Then she went into hospital for a few months, but when she moved into the care home in December Mr Branton contacted Islington Council to stop the council tax payments.

In the past few months Mr Branton says he has had to deal with claims that his mother owed £300 to a housing association – claims which were later dropped. 

And there was a bill for almost £1,000 from the Department of Work and Pensions, which he reluctantly agreed to meet, because of an apparent overpayment of attendance allowance while Ethel was in hospital.

He added: “She’s 102, has lived through two world wars, and they won’t leave her alone.  They keep wanting money. I’m a pensioner myself but in the end it is me who has to settle the bill.”

A council spokesman said: “We’re sorry for this mistake, and the distress caused to Mrs Branton and her family.

“We would never knowingly summons a 102-year-old person for non-payment of council tax, whatever their circumstances.

“There was an internal failure to share information, which we deeply regret. We’re investigating what happened and will write to the family with our findings. 

“Lessons will be learned. We have cancelled the summons and court costs and would like to apologise again to Mrs Branton and her family.”

Mr Branton thanked the help of local Labour councillors Mouna Hamitouche and James Murray. Barnsbury Cllr Murray said: “The summons to a 102-year-old woman is totally beyond belief. The council really needs to get its act together and stop frightening innocent people.”