What could be more shocking than receiving a letter that informs you of your own death?
This was what happened to a shocked pensioner who received a letter from his local council telling him that he had died.
Stunned OAP Madan-lal Kosla, 83, opened a letter from Manchester City Council that said he was no longer eligible for council tax support because he was dead.
The notification, addressed to Mr Kosla’s wife Sudesh, contained condolences on behalf of the local authority.
It said: “I am sorry to hear of your partner’s death on the 18th of May.
“Please accept my condolences. I am sorry to write to you at this difficult time but as the claim for council tax support was in your partner’s name I have cancelled payments from 18th of May.”
Mr Kosla had opened the letter because his wife struggles to read or speak English.
He said he was shocked the council had made such a ‘serious mistake’ but after an investigation they said the error had been made by the Department for Work and Pensions .
“We are both very angry by what has happened,” Mr Kosla said.
“What if I had been away and someone else had opened that letter?
“They would think I’m dead. I had to pinch myself when I read it.”
The grandfather-of-nine informed the council of the mistake and was told to go to his local job centre to prove he was alive.
“They said go to the job centre, take a passport and show them you’re not dead,” he added.