A DISABLED man has said he is "fraught" after being sent debt recovery letters in error because of a system fault at Bradford Council.

Earlier this year, the Council introduced a £3-a-week fee for its previously free Safe and Sound alarm service, which elderly or disabled people can use to call for help.

But a systems fault means about 40 people's direct debit payments have not been set up correctly, giving the false impression that they are in arrears.

Keith Bolton, who has cerebral palsy and arthritis, is one of those affected.

The 68-year-old, of Bolton, Bradford, said he was alarmed to receive debt recovery letters from the Council when he knew he had organised the payments.

He said it felt like he was "being threatened by the Council".

Mr Bolton, a lay Methodist preacher and a disability advisor for the church, said he was also worried that other disabled or elderly people were being put through the same trauma.

He said: "It is making vulnerable people into desperate people."

A Bradford Council spokesman said: "We are very sorry for the difficulties Mr Bolton has been facing while trying to pay his account for the Safe and Sound personal alarm service.

"We are aware of an issue affecting a small number of customers of this service, who are also paying other bills to the council by Direct Debit.

"Our systems are failing to recognise this second account, and consequently we are unable to take the payment from the customer's bank, thus giving the impression that their accounts are in arrears.

"We are working with our software supplier to fix this problem, but in the meantime have introduced some manual intervention to avoid this problem in future."

Local health and social care watchdog, Healthwatch Bradford and District, said it would take up people's concerns if those affected wanted to contact them.

Communications manager Victoria Simmons said: "It is concerning if vulnerable people are experiencing difficulties with a service that they rely on and which helps them to live independently."

And Emmerson Walgrove, deputy chairman of the Bradford and District Disabled People's Forum, said it was inappropriate for the Council to send out the debt recovery letters when it was at fault.

He said: "That causes more stress and worry to the service user."