Kate Garraway has shared an update on her financial situation following the death of her husband Derek Draper, who passed away in January after a devastating battle with long Covid.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain on Monday, the broadcaster revealed that she's had to withdraw part of her pension to pay her late husband's "belated bills".
© Ken McKay/ITV/ShutterstockKate and her co-host Ed Balls were chatting with Lindy Kirk, who was told she could expect an 18-month wait for a hip operation. After experiencing excruciating pain and being forced to use a wheelchair, Lindy explained that she felt she had no option but to pay £15,000 from her pension to go private.
Kate sympathised with the guest, revealing that she, too, was forced to withdraw part of her pension to pay for medical bills.
"I am doing something similar myself," said Kate. "I have had to withdraw the bit you can tax-free from my pension to pay for belated bills for my husband, who has now passed away.
© ITV"People are having to do things - it wasn't a huge pension in the first place - which aren't what they saved for and some people don't have any savings at all."
Kate has been very open about her financial struggles after incurring debts from caring for Derek.
In an interview with The Times, Kate estimated the care debt to be between £500,000 to £800,000.
"It's supposed to be a system that's meant to catch you if you fall. But actually, it feels like it's trying to catch you out," she said.
© Shutterstock"You feel like you're in the dock answering questions about things that will literally mean life or death to someone you love. Derek's needs were clearly so great, yet he didn't warrant funded care — so you think, 'If he isn’t getting it, then who is?'"
"To be fair to them, no one's contacted me since he’s passed away to ask for that," continued the journalist. "They may well still do, but they haven’t as yet. The bigger picture of the further appeals I haven't addressed yet, because I’m still in survival mode."
It's also been reported that Kate is considering selling her family home in north London to cover the debts.
© GettyAfter falling seriously ill with coronavirus in 2020, Derek spent 13 months in hospital and after being discharged, required round-the-clock care at home.
Before his death, Derek was in a clinic in Mexico undergoing pioneering brain cell treatment for the disabling effects of the disease. When Kate arrived in Mexico from London, she was told that her husband had suffered a cardiac arrest whilst she was mid-flight.
Although doctors restarted his heart and Derek underwent 14 hours of neurosurgery, he never regained consciousness. On January 3, he "slipped away" with his wife and two children, Darcey and Billy, by his side.
