‘DO I LOOK DEAD TO YOU?’

British Widower in ‘Distress’ After Being Told by Local Council That He’s Dead

Stuart Dobson, a very-much-alive septuagenarian, wrote back acidly that only his district “would write to a deceased person and ask them to fill in a Council Tax form.”

The rumors of a 77-year-old British man’s death were greatly exaggerated by his local officials this month, when they wrote to him that they were “sorry to hear” that he had just died. The man, Stuart Dobson, who is very much alive, was shocked to receive a letter from the South Norfolk Council telling him that he was eligible for a council tax exemption, given his status as a recently deceased person. Already grieving the death of his wife last month, Dobson said he was plunged into greater “distress” for having to convince the council of his continued existence. “I have been up there to give them a letter, I’ve hand-delivered it to the council, telling them, ‘Do I look dead to you?’” he told the Norwich Evening News. “It's an utter shambles, they’re asking me to fill in forms when they think I’m dead, it doesn't make sense. I don't need this at all.” In his letter, Dobson told the council that they were “ill-informed,” sniping that only they “would write to a deceased person and ask them to fill in a council tax form.” The council said it has since apologized to the septuagenarian.