WITH reference to Maureen Tattersall's snide 'Pay Up Alex' (Your Views October 11) I wish to make clear to her the following facts.

1) On Income Support, the earnings allowed are £15 after which entitlement is gradually reduced up to £27, after which entitlement ceases altogether.

2) A person claiming Carer's Allowance is not allowed to work more than 16 hours per week, or earn more than £50 a week -- therefore, they are being kept on the breadline by the Government.

3) Private residential care for an elderly disabled person would cost the State between £200-£300 a week. But the State begrudges carers such as myself a £4 a week rise. Therefore when my earnings rose from £23-£27 per week, I lost almost half my Income Support, being worse off by £8 a week.

The present situation, in which I now owe the Benefit Agency £1,300, occurred when I got a £4 rise due the implementation of the Minimum Wage, brought in to help the low paid (except carers) who are not allowed to have more than £65 a week to live on if on Income Support.

Innocent, naive and ignorant, I had no idea that I was doing anything wrong considering rightly that the Minimum Wage had been brought in to help those who were the poorest members of society. Untrue, because the Minimum Wage was not meant to benefit such as me.

By not immediately informing the Benefit Agency to get my Income Support reduced by the above amount, I am now faced with the unpalatable fact that I now must pay back to the Benefit Agency over a third of my yearly income.

Being below the Government's own poverty threshold, to pay back this large sum of money is beyond my capacity. I also cannot help myself by working longer hours to earn more money, as I would then lose the Carer's Allowance as well.

Hence my distressing situation. I am glad that I am no longer on Income Support this having been withdrawn, because I never again wish to be subjected to such levels of prolonged stress and constant harassment.

If being opposed to having our drinking water poisoned with a toxic substance makes me sanctimonious, then I am glad to be so. To be any other way would be anathema to me. I consider to be paramount the rights of the individual, and the freedom of individual choice to be above all else.

I conclude by saying to her before you condemn me, get acquainted with the true facts. Only then will you have the ability to judge and make a valued assessment.

Alex Hastings (Ms)

Craven Place

Montserrat

Bolton