THE composition of official letters that will be read by thousands of people can be a tricky task.

Choosing the right tone and phrasing is not easy because different people will interpret words in different ways.

So it would be wrong to be too critical of whoever was responsible for the content of letters being sent out to people living alone across the Worcester, Wychavon and Malvern Hills areas.

Elderly people have told us they have found the letters, which ask householders who receive a single person council tax discount whether they are still living alone, threatening and an insult.

We have no problem with the question being asked.

Finances are tough across the public sector and the more that is done to crack down on those abusing the benefits system the better.

And there will be some people who are not living alone but continuing to claim the discount.

The letters tell recipients that failure to reply within a certain period of time will result in their discount being cancelled.

We are not surprised some elderly people find the tone threatening.

It is clear that a bit more thought should have been put into the wording of these letters, particularly as many of those in receipt of them will be elderly people who have suffered bereavements.

We are pleased the councils involved accept the letters could seem threatening and plan to change future correspondence.