Kate Garraway forced to use pension money to pay off 'belated bills' after Derek's death

Kate Garraway has candidly shared that she's using money from her pension to cover bills after the loss of her husband Derek Draper. The 57-year-old Good Morning Britain presenter found herself facing "belated bills" and made the decision to tap into her pension to deal with the significant debt.

Presenting the popular breakfast show on Monday, May 6, Kate interviewed a guest with a moving story that resonated deeply with her. Lindy Kirk discussed her health ordeal, which left her in extreme pain, using a wheelchair, and compelled to pay thousands for private treatment after being faced with an 18-month wait for a life-changing operation.

Offering support, Kate empathised with Lindy's struggle, reports the Mirror. "You need every penny of that pension", Kate remarked, before confessing her own similar situation, "I'm doing something similar myself."

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Kate disclosed that she'd made a withdrawal from her pension pot to meet her late spouse's medical bills. "I've just had to withdraw the bit you can get tax-free for my pension to pay belated bills for my husband that passed away." Kate told co-host Dr Amir Khan: "People are having to do the things which aren't what they saved for and some people don't have any savings at all."

Kate hasn't shied away from speaking about her financial struggles, which amplified during her husband Derek's prolonged fight with Covid-19. Tragically, Derek passed away earlier this year at just 56 years old, leaving his wife to grapple with the enormous burden of his healthcare costs, which soared to an eye-watering £16k per month for essential care and mobility therapy.

While discussing her overwhelming money struggles on ITV's morning show, Kate confessed to feeling "ashamed" despite her high-paying career, as she struggled to keep her household afloat. "I am ashamed of the fact that I am in debt", she disclosed, "because I have an incredible job that I love, that's very well paid." She continued by contrasting her situation with those who care for others for minimal pay: "I'm not a carer travelling miles, paying their own transport to go and help somebody for minimum wage. I'm somebody that is very well paid and so I just feel a shame that I couldn't make it work."

Kate initially shared the reality of the challenge in the documentary Kate Garraway: Derek's Story, which chronicled the last year of Derek's life and was broadcast in March. She revealed the stark reality: "Derek's care costs more than my salary from ITV and that is before you pay for a mortgage, before you pay any household bills, before you pay for anything for the kids, so we are at a crunch point".

She concluded with a candid admission about her situation: "I am in debt. I can't earn enough money to cover my debt because I am managing Derek's care and I can't even use the money I do have to support Derek's recovery because it's going on the basics all the time." For the latest TV & Showbiz news, sign up to our newsletter.