Hooray for Henrietta!

Reporter: HELEN KORN
Date online: 15 July 2011

Dementia sufferer, 87, won’t face court over council tax bill
AN 87-YEAR-OLD woman who faced a court conviction after failing to pay her council tax, has had her case dropped after intervention by the Chronicle.

Dementia-sufferer Henrietta Richards, who now lives in a Chadderton care home, had been summonsed to attend court for non-payment of £135 by Oldham Council.

She is selling her family home in Chadderton to pay for her care.

Relatives were originally told that because they let a family friend who needed short-term accommodation, stay in the house — for which they paid council tax — Mrs Richards has apparently lost all her rights to being exempt from payment. The house has been empty and on the market for over a year.

Janet May, her daughter, says she was “absolutely appalled” and had written to the council three times, without reply.

She said: “I didn’t tell my mum she was due in court as she wouldn’t remember minutes later and she wouldn’t have understood why she was there anyway. She has worked since she was 14 until her late 60s and paid her bills all her life.

“She already pays more than £400 a week at the home so the council is getting tax from her as part of her fees.

“All her savings have gone on her care fees — as if that’s not enough.”

Daughter-in-law Adele Richards said: “A defenceless old lady will have a criminal record for the first time in her life.

“Is it not enough that the family have to watch her deteriorate and watch her life savings disappear without her being dragged through the courts for something she has no control over?

“We need people who answer the phones at the council to listen and have a bit of compassion.

“To be treated with no respect for her condition or her age by her own council and the people they employ is shameful.”

Councillor Abdul Jabbar, cabinet member for finance and human resources, said records were not updated to reflect that Mrs Richards was in a care home.

He added: “This information was brought to our attention initially at the contact centre but was not recorded and this error resulted in further action being taken.

“However, as soon as we were alerted to this issue by a relative of Mrs Richards we immediately took action and took steps to stop the matter going any further.

“We have since cancelled the court summons and associated costs after checking our records and can confirm that Mrs Richards is exempt from paying council tax on the property.

“We have now made staff aware of the correct procedures surrounding council tax exemptions for owners who go into care homes.

“We have sent a letter to the family, and attempted to contact them over the phone, to apologise for any unnecessary difficulty they have experienced and to explain that the court summons has been cancelled.

“If anyone is having difficulty paying their council tax bill or would like to apply for an exemption or reduction I would advise them to ring 0161-770 6622.”