An MP has slammed a local council for using debt collectors and threatening legal action against an 80 year old woman over a debt to the tune of £17.50. The issue was brought up by Aberdeen south labour MP Anne Begg who said that vulnerable people where being threatened, whilst the local council have said that they were investigating the matter with the debt collectors.

Miss Begg brought up the issue that many cases where being turned over to the debt collection agency without checks to see if the matter was in dispute or if there were extenuating circumstances.

"For the council to set debt collectors on a partially-sighted 80-year-old for the paltry sum of £17.50, despite the fact that I was in the middle of corresponding with them about whether she should be paying at all, strikes me as draconian," she said. With the recession in full swing more councils are resorting to sending round the debt collectors, many vulnerable people could be left exposed to intimidation by collectors.