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 obviously he can’t respond to.
‘I just cannot get through. Again today nearly 50 mins wait.’
Visibly irate at the lack of response, she added: ‘Is there a bereavement service or SOMETHING!!!!’
Kate did not clarify what the post was in relation to or what ‘demands’ were being made.
After finally managing to get through to someone, she claims she was put ‘straight back to the beginning’. She said she was then put on hold for another 20 minutes before the call cut off at 5pm.
Visibly irate at the lack of response, she added: ‘Is there a bereavement service or SOMETHING!!!!’
Kate did not clarify what the post was in relation to or what ‘demands’ were being made.
The council did finally respond to her this morning on X, formerly Twitter – 17 hours after her own posts, at 10.09am today.
The local authority said on the site: ‘Hello Kate. I’m sorry to hear that. Please send us a DM and provide the details of your enquiry along with your contact details and I’ll see what I can do to help. Thank you.’
Derek was among the first in the UK to fall seriously ill with Covid-19 and was admitted to an intensive care unit as the country entered lockdown in March 2020.
Kate could have to pay a staggering fee of up to £800,000 for all the care used for her late husband Derek Draper
Derek’s final moments were shown in the documentary, that also captured him talking on camera about his battle for the first time
He was one of the country’s longest-suffering Covid patients after being in hospital but never fully recovered after the virus left long-lasting damage to his organs and meant he needed round-the-clock care. He suffered a heart attack before Christmas and died on January 3.
Broadcaster Kate has spoken candidly about losing her husband and has also opened up about her perilous financial state.
In the ITV documentary Derek’s Story – which was filmed while he was still alive – she says his care was costing £16,000 a month.
In an emotional admission of the couple’s dire finances, she said: ‘Derek’s care costs more than my salary from ITV and that is before you pay for a mortgage, before you pay any household bills, before you pay for anything for the kids, so we are at a crunch point.
‘I am in debt. I can’t earn enough money to cover my debt because I am managing Derek’s care and I can’t even use the money I do have to support Derek’s recovery because it’s going on the basics all the time.
Kate – who owes between £500,000 to £800,000 – told The Times last month: ‘Derek’s needs were clearly so great, yet he didn’t warrant funded care — so you think, “If he isn’t getting it, then who is?”
‘To be fair to them, no one’s contacted me since he’s passed away to ask for that. They may well still do, but they haven’t as yet.
‘The bigger picture of the further appeals I haven’t addressed yet, because I’m still in survival mode. It’s supposed to be a system that’s meant to catch you if you fall. But actually, it feels like it’s trying to catch you out.’
Derek’s final moments were shown in the documentary, that also captured him talking on camera about his battle for the first time.
He really ‘wanted to have his say’ despite his illness leaving him with very limited speech, according to The Sun.
The touching ITV documentary captured emotional moments alongside his children and his beloved wife Kate as he bravely fought the disease after four years.
A poignant moment from the documentary’s trailer, showed the former political adviser lying in bed as he wrote down in his notepad.
During a heart-wrenching moment from the clip, Derek said: ‘My name’s Derek Draper, I want you to hear my story.’
The GMB host sat on his bed as she asked, ‘You’ve written Covid changed everything. Do you mean for you?’ as Derek replied: ‘Yes.’
A source told the publication: ‘Derek really wanted to make this documentary and have his say. It was incredibly brave of him to let cameras into his home.’
Speaking with co-host Ed Balls on Good Morning Britain, Kate admitted she ‘can’t quite believe’ that Derek isn’t with her to ‘watch his story’.
‘It’s been pretty emotional actually. Makes you want to jump in the screen and give him a hug.’
