Kate Garraway says desperate plea to council was 'out of frustration' after ... trends now
Kate Garraway has said her desperate plea to a London council on social media was made 'out of utter frustration' after receiving an 'unsettling post making demands' in relation to her late husband Derek Draper.
The Good Morning Britain host had accused Haringey Council in north London of sending 'demanding' letters which he 'obviously can't respond to' after his death at the age of 56 before Christmas.
The grieving mother-of-two, who recently revealed she was in crippling debt from the paying carers to look after Derek as he battled the effects of long Covid, fumed that she had spent 'ten days' trying to speak to an official at the council.
Some 17 hours after the post on X (formerly Twitter), in which she also claimed to have been left on hold for nearly an hour, the council responded underneath asking for more information about what the problem was.
Speaking on the ITV programme she co-presents with Ed Balls today, Kate revealed more details about why she had spoken out on social media and insisted it was 'not an attack' on the local authority.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain today, Kate Garraway said her social media post was made 'out of utter frustration'
Political lobbyist Derek died aged 56 in January after a long battle with Covid-19
Broadcaster Kate has spoken candidly about losing her husband and has also opened up about her perilous financial state
After Ed brought up her recent tweet, Kate said: 'This is not an attack on Haringey Council, it was born out of utter frustration. I don't like putting things onto Twitter but many good people, including Martin Lewis, say that often the people who monitor social media are also more staffed than the people who have to answer phones.
'It's not really sending the post, as you understand, there will be a period where the algorithm doesn't work out, when someone's passed away. It's just something that's been going on for about three or four years, actually.
'The inability to convey to people that this is to do with many things but this is particularly to do with posts, bills, demands, threatens of bailiffs still going to Derek, even though I've been paying those things but I have a different name on some accounts and not being able to get through to anyone to say: "This person has passed away."
'I'm sure I'm not alone in that. I will say it's a common experience and very frustrating because you want to be able to sort things out as quickly as possible.
'Lots of companies and areas do have specific bereavement people who take that on for you and help you to navigate through, but it's just that others don't and you're having the same conversation again and again.
'Sorry about putting that on Twitter but Haringey Council have got in touch and asked me to DM them directly with my details and hopefully it will get resolved!
'But then it shouldn't be because you're on the telly and you Tweet something that these things happen, should it? Because I'm sure there's many people who are railing against it without that. So we will see!'
Good Morning Britain host Kate, 56, took to social media on Tuesday to express her frustration with Haringey Council and beg for their help
Kate claims that Haringey Council (pictured), in north London, is still sending Derek letters which she said he 'obviously can't respond to'
The 56-year-old had vented her frustration on X on Tuesday shortly after 5pm, writing: '@haringeycouncil -please help - have been trying for ten days sold [sic] to speak to someone about my husband passing away - following unsettling post making demands which
