Kate Garraway says desperate plea to council was ‘out of frustration’ after grieving GMB host received ‘unsettling post making demands’ after husband Derek Draper’s death
Kate Garraway has said her desperate plea to a London council on social media was made ‘out of complete frustration’ after she received a ‘disturbing post making demands’ regarding her late husband Derek Draper.
The Good Morning Britain presenter had accused Haringey Council in north London of sending “demanding” letters to which he “obviously cannot respond” following his death at the age of 56 before Christmas.
The grieving mother-of-two, who recently revealed she was in huge debt to paying carers to care for Derek as he battled the effects of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, was furious that she had tried for ‘ten days’ with to talk to a hospital official. council.
About 17 hours after the message on X (formerly Twitter), in which she also claimed to have been on hold for almost an hour, the municipality responded below asking for more information about what the problem was.
Speaking on the ITV program she co-hosts with Ed Balls today, Kate revealed more details about why she had spoken out on social media, insisting it was ‘not an attack’ on the local government.
Kate Garraway said on Good Morning Britain today that her social media post was made ‘out of complete frustration’
Political lobbyist Derek died in January at the age of 56 after a long battle with Covid-19
Broadcaster Kate has spoken candidly about the loss of 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 complete frustration. I don’t like to put things on Twitter, but many good people, including Martin Lewis, say that the people who monitor social media often outnumber the people who answer the phone.
‘It’s not really sending mail, as you understand, there will be a period when the algorithm doesn’t work, when someone has died. It’s actually something that’s been going on for about three or four years.
‘The inability to make people understand that this has to do with many things, but this is mainly to do with posts, bills, demands and threats that bailiffs are still going to Derek even though I have paid those things, but I have a different name on some accounts and can’t reach anyone to say, “This person has passed away.”
‘I’m sure I’m not alone in that. I will say that it is a common experience and very frustrating because you want to be able to get things done as quickly as possible.
‘Many companies and areas have specific grief people who will take that on for you and help you navigate through it, but it’s just that others don’t and you end up having the same conversation over and over again.
‘Sorry I put that on Twitter, but Haringey Council have reached out and asked me to DM them directly with my details and hopefully it will be resolved!
“But it shouldn’t be because you’re on TV and you’re tweeting something that these things are happening, right? Because I’m sure there are many people who are against it without it. So we’ll see!’
Good Morning Britain presenter Kate, 56, took to social media on Tuesday to express her frustration with Haringey Council and plead for their help
Kate claims Haringey Council (pictured), in north London, is still sending Derek letters to which she says he ‘clearly cannot respond’
The 56-year-old had expressed her frustration to [sic] to talk to someone about my husband’s death – after disturbing post with demands that he clearly cannot respond to.
‘I just can’t get through it. Today we have to wait almost 50 minutes again.’
Visibly furious at the lack of response, she added: “Is there a funeral service or SOMETHING!!!!”
Kate did not clarify what the post was about or what ‘demands’ were being made.
After finally managing to reach someone, she claims she was taken “straight back to the beginning.” She said she was then put on hold for another 20 minutes before the call was dropped at 5 p.m.
Visibly furious at the lack of response, she added: “Is there a funeral service or SOMETHING!!!!”
Kate did not clarify what the post was about or what ‘demands’ were being made.
The council finally responded to her on X, formerly Twitter, this morning – 17 hours after her own posts, at 10:09am today.
The council said on the site: ‘Hello Kate. I’m sorry to hear that. Send us a DM and provide the details of your question and your contact details. I’ll see what I can do for you. Thank you.’
Derek was one of the first in Britain to become seriously ill with Covid-19 and was admitted to an intensive care unit when the country went into lockdown in March 2020.
Kate may have to pay a staggering compensation of up to £800,000 for all the care her late husband Derek Draper spent
Derek’s final moments were featured in the documentary, which also saw him speak on camera about his struggle for the first time
He was one of the country’s longest-suffering Covid patients after being hospitalized but never fully recovered after the virus caused long-term damage to his organs and left him requiring round-the-clock care. He suffered a heart attack before Christmas and died on January 3.
Broadcaster Kate has spoken candidly about the loss of 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 alive – she says his care cost £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’s before you pay a mortgage, before you pay household bills, before you pay anything for the kids, so we are at a critical point.
‘I have debts. I can’t make enough money to pay my debts because I’m managing Derek’s care and I can’t even use the money I do have to support Derek’s recovery because it’s always on the basics.
Kate – who owes between £500,000 and £800,000 – told The Times last month: ‘Derek’s needs were clearly so great, yet he wasn’t entitled to funded care – so you think, ‘If he doesn’t get it, who then? ?”
‘To be honest, no one has contacted me since he passed away asking for that. Maybe they still do, but that’s not the case yet.
‘I haven’t discussed the bigger picture of further calls yet, because I’m still in survival mode. It must be a system that catches you if you fall. But actually it feels like he’s trying to catch you.’
Derek’s final moments were featured in the documentary, which also saw him speak on camera about his struggle for the first time.
He ‘really wanted to have his say’, despite his illness severely limiting his ability to speak, according to The Sun.
The moving ITV documentary captured emotional moments with his children and beloved wife Kate as he bravely battled the disease after four years.
A poignant moment from the documentary’s trailer shows the former political consultant lying in bed while writing in his notebook.
During a heartbreaking moment from the clip, Derek said: “My name is Derek Draper, I want you to hear my story.”
The GMB presenter sat down on his bed and asked: ‘You’ve written that Covid has 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 house.”
Speaking to co-host Ed Balls on Good Morning Britain, Kate admitted she ‘can’t quite believe’ Derek isn’t with her to ‘watch his story’.
‘It was actually quite emotional. It makes you want to jump into the screen and give him a hug.”