A CLEANER living on the poverty line is to be hauled before the courts for paying her council tax a few days late, even though she pays the full amount every month.

Widow Jeanette Everton is not in arrears with her payments, but has still been summoned for failing to pay on the date she should.

Mrs Everton, 53, a full-time cleaner at the Coryton Oil Refinery, earns £6.92 an hour – 99p above the minimum wage of £5.93. She claims she would be better off on benefits, but refuses to accept handouts.

Mrs Everton does not smoke, drink, or own a mobile phone. She doesn’t even have central heating at her home in High Road, Vange.

Because she gets her £240 wage weekly she has to juggle her money, which means her council tax bill gets paid two to five days late.

She said: “What’s the point of spending taxpayers’ money taking me to court? I only pay late because I have to, not because I want to.

“I can’t pay via direct debit as I don’t have the money in the bank on a certain date each month.

“I don’t have cash for food most of the time. I don’t want handouts, I am happy to work.”

Mrs Everton has struggled to make ends meet since her husband died, eight years ago.

She pays £96 in council tax every month and receives a single person’s discount. Even though she often works 60 hours a week, there is little left at the end of the week for Mrs Everton.

She said: “My boiler broke down last year. There’s no way I can fix it, so I’m just going to have to make do without heating.

“I don’t want charity, but I’m terrified of being taken to court for something I can’t change.”

Mrs Everton has been told to appear at Basildon Magistrates’ Court on September 21 for paying her council tax late.

She said: “I get angry when I read about people who don’t pay, but I don’t know if they get pursued by the council. I am an easy target because I actually pay.”

Andrew Kupusarevic, manager of revenues and benefits, for Basildon Council, said: “While we can’t comment on individual cases, it is essential council tax is paid on time. The council offers a variety of ways to pay, but in most cases we encourage people to pay by direct debit.

“If someone is consistently late in paying council tax, we will take action in the interests of fairness and the majority of people who pay on time.”