'No more benefit - you're dead'

William Reynolds was told he was no longer entitlted to benefit

A London council has written to a man telling him his council tax benefit was being stopped because he was dead.

Lambeth Borough Council's benefits department sent the letter to William Reynolds, who died in April from cancer, two weeks ago.

It said his benefit was being stopped because of his death and urged him to contact a hotline if he wanted to contest the decision.

There has been a change in your circumstances, the change is because you are dead

Council letter

The council has condemned the actions of its housing benefit contractor, Capita Business Services, and demanded an overhaul of the company's entire system to avoid a repeat of the incident.

The letter was opened by Christine Allery who moved into Mr Reynolds's flat in West Norwood, South London, last month.

It read: "Your Council Tax Benefit has been stopped from 17 April 2000 because there has been a change in your circumstances, the change is because you are dead."

'Horrible'

Council leader Tony Franklin said it was an indefensible error.

"We are demanding that Capita overhauls its systems immediately to ensure that such a form of words never appears again, even on internal documentation," he said.

Mrs Allery said she had initially thought the letter was for her. "I looked at the name and I said, 'My God', she told the Evening Standard newspaper.

"It was a horrible letter to send to anybody.

"My husband died in November and I know I would have been extremely upset to receive a letter like this," she said.

Tory opposition councillors have called for a full inquiry into the incident.

A spokesman said the letter was only supposed to have been used for internal records.