The daughter of a pensioner who died at Christmas continued to receive Council bills for her mother despite giving officials four copies of her death certificate.

June Furlong's 72-year-old mother Doreen Walker died on Christmas Eve but bills and letters from Kirklees Council have still been sent to her old house in Turnsteads Close, Cleckheaton.

Mrs Furlong, 50, said: "My husband Michael and I went into the housing office after Christmas to tell them mum had died and to give notice on her Council bungalow. The Council took a copy of her death certificate.

"On New Year's Eve she got a letter saying Council benefits had ended and could she reapply for the next 12 months. We took the letter into the housing office in Cleckheaton Town Hall and they kept that letter and took another copy of the death certificate."

Mrs Furlong said Council staff told her the certificate would be attached to the letter and they would hear no more about it.

A few weeks later a Council tax bill for £129 was sent to her mother's house. "Michael again took the bill to the town hall and they took another copy of the death certificate. They even marked on the bill 'No further communication please, above named person deceased'."

Mrs Furlong said a bill for 1p was then sent to her mother's house. "Michael went to the town hall where they photocopied the death certificate for the fourth time," she said.

Two weeks later she received another bill for 1p. "This time I just flipped and said I would pay it," said Mrs Furlong. "My mum would have blown her top if she'd have known about all this. I sent it and asked them to receipt it at the back."

Mrs Furlong was then sent a redirected letter from her mother's house, thanking her for applying for Council tax and housing benefits for the next 12 months, which she clearly had not done. The next day another letter arrived, addressed to the executors of Mrs Doreen Walker. It said the Council had overpaid Mrs Walker by more than £120 benefits and wanted it back.

"Michael went back again to the town hall and showed them the letter and the girl said she could only apologise. They just don't seem to communicate between departments.

"There are so many people who get away with not paying, yet they sent my mum a bill for 1p." Mrs Furlong said the Council had cashed the cheque for 1p.

A spokesman from the Revenues and Benefits department at Kirklees Council said: "We apologise to Mr and Mrs Furlong for any distress caused. We will make sure that no bills are sent to them."