DWP sending older state pensioners £739 payments before August 4

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will be sending payments of up to £739 to some older state pensioners before August 4, it has confirmed to the Express.

The payments come despite the August summer bank holiday, which falls at the beginning of next month on Monday, August 3, if you live in Scotland, four weeks earlier than the rest of the UK. Normally, when benefit payments, including the State Pension, are due to be paid on the same date that a bank holiday falls, the DWP will normally issue the payment on the earliest working day before instead. However, the DWP confirmed to the Express on Friday that the Scottish Bank Holiday is not expected to affect payments as the August 31 holiday does.

The DWP told the Express: “Payments will still process as they do for other Scottish Bank Holidays. Government Banking have confirmed that Bacs does not close for Scottish only Bank Holidays. Scottish customers who would normally receive their payment on the 3rd will still receive it on the 3rd.”

The basic State Pension is worth up to £184.90 per week if you get the full rate, following a 4.8% uplift at the start of the new tax year on April 6.

As the State Pension is paid every four weeks, older pensioners getting the full basic State Pensoin can get up to £739.60 in each four-week payment period from the DWP.

Of course, this amount is based on a full National Insurance record, so those who don’t have enough qualifying years will receive less than this.

State Pension payments across the UK will be disrupted in late August due to the summer bank holiday, but this will be later in the month as the bank holiday falls on Monday, August 31. Even though the late Bank Holiday is only in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, pensioners in Scotland will also see payment dates pulled forwards.

Older pensioners expecting a basic State Pension payment on this date can instead expect to be paid on the earliest working day before, which will be Friday, August 28.

Confirming the changes on a bank holiday, the DWP said: “Benefits are usually paid straight into your bank, building society or credit union account. If your payment date is on a weekend or a bank holiday you’ll usually be paid on the working day before.”

Pensioners can determine their usual State Pension payment day by looking for the two-digit code at the end of their National Insurance number, as this specifies the date on which payments are normally issued. This is how National Insurance numbers correspond to payment days:

• 00 to 19 – paid on Monday
• 20 to 39 – paid on Tuesday
• 40 to 59 – paid on Wednesday
• 60 to 79 – paid on Thursday
• 80 to 99 – paid on Friday

So if your National Insurance number ends in 00 to 19, it means your usual payment date falls on a Monday, meaning it may coincide with the August summer bank holiday.

If your State Pension payment date is changing due to the bank holiday, you don’t need to do anything as your money will be paid straight into your usual bank, building society or credit union account.

The DWP added: “You’ll be asked when you want to start getting your State Pension when you claim. Your first payment will be no later than 5 weeks after the date you choose. You’ll get a full payment every 4 weeks after that.

“You might get part of a payment before your first full payment. The letter confirming your State Pension payment will tell you what to expect.

“The day your pension is paid depends on your National Insurance number. You might be paid earlier if your normal payment day is a bank holiday.”