Blind and deaf pensioner in signature row

A blind and deaf woman has been forced to live off her savings for almost a year because the Post Office will not let her withdraw her pension as her signature does not match the one in its records.

Joan Hopton, 81, of Cheltenham, Glos, lost her pension card in May last year. However, when she applied for a new one she was told by the company that it could not be issued because the name on the bottom of the letter did not match her original signature.

She used to collect a pension of £104 a week and is now owed about £4,000 since she lost her card.



Despite repeated attempts by members of her family to come to some arrangement with Post Office Ltd the company will not let her access the money.

The family have subsequently been told that they must write a letter to Post Office Ltd to officially close the pension account so it can be set up in either one of Mrs Hopton's daughter's names.

A Post Office spokesman said: "We are very sorry to learn of the problems Mrs Hopton has had with her account. A member of our high profile case team will contact her shortly to try to find a speedy solution."