Marie Collins stranded in Cyprus after DWP stops pension and council seeks £875

On 23 March 2026, Marie Collins, an 84-year-old woman from Narborough, Norfolk, remained stranded in Cyprus after her state pension was halted when the Department for Work and Pensions reportedly recorded her as deceased. Collins, who travelled to the island for a two-week holiday in September, fell ill with a severe chest infection that left her medically unfit to fly home and without the funds to return.

Her financial difficulties deepened in early November when pension payments stopped. Breckland District Council is now pursuing her for £875 in alleged unpaid council tax, a demand Collins disputes on the grounds of her age and disability. She was listed to appear at Norwich Magistrates’ Court, but cannot attend because she lacks the money to travel. Breckland Council declined to comment on individual cases but said notifications of changed circumstances trigger reassessments and that it works with residents to understand situations.

Collins says doctors provided letters and specialist evidence confirming she was unfit to fly, and that she has since undergone physiotherapy after a fall that limited use of her hand. Despite repeated contact from Collins, her niece, South West Norfolk MP Terry Jermy and the British Consulate in Cyprus, her pension remains suspended. Jermy says he is treating the case as a priority. Collins reports prolonged difficulties reaching the DWP and problems completing paperwork remotely, leaving her dependent on friends while she awaits resolution.