Tracie Stringer was left ‘gobsmacked’ when she received a court summons on Friday, November 6, advising her that she owed almost £800 in council tax arrears

A carer was left stunned after receiving a court summons for council tax – despite paying her bills on time every week.

Tracie Stringer, from Hogsthorpe, Skegness, received a letter on Friday, November 6, stating that she owed East Lindsey District Council almost £800.

Tracie, who is a full-time carer for her daughter, said she was left “gobsmacked” as she pays her council tax “religiously” every week.

She contacted her local authority, and after several hours on the phone, was eventually told it was due to an “internal error”.

A council officer confirmed she wasn’t in arrears and had received the summons due to an error in the system because she had paid her tax a day early.

“I spent the whole day on Friday trying to get through and couldn’t.