State pension change for thousands next week in DWP shake up | Personal Finance | Finance

There will be a significant change to state pension payments from next week as the Department for Work nd Pensions (DWP) has altered the dates on which people will receive their money. The DWP has said that payments will be made earlier next week because of a change to payment dates ahead of the August bank holiday. The department explains that “if your payment date is on a weekend or a bank holiday, you’ll usually be paid on the working day before”.

However, this might place extra financial strain on recipients as it leaves a longer gap between next week’s payment and the payment from the following week, which will return to normal. Anyone scheduled to be paid on Monday, August 25, when the bank holiday falls, will receive their money three days before on Friday, August 22. This happens when payment dates clash with public holidays. It applies to recipients in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, where there is a bank holiday on August 25.

Additionally, those expecting payments from the DWP on Saturday and Sunday, August 23 and 24, will also receive them on Friday, August 22. This includes the state pension, Pension Credit and other benefits handled by the department.

The day you are paid your state pension depends on your National Insurance number. Payments are usually made on Mondays to those with a NI number ending in 00-19.

Meanwhile, those with numbers ending in 20-39 are usually paid on Tuesday, 40-59 on Wednesdays, 60-79 on Thursdays, and 80-99 on Fridays.

Recipients do not need to take action as the change happens automatically when a bank holiday falls on a payment day. Other state payments that will be issued early include Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Carer’s Allowance, Attendance Allowance and Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA).

Additionally, those in receipt of Child Benefits payments can expect to receive them early, ahead of the August bank holiday.

Those in receipt of such payments in Scotland would have already had them paid early at the beginning of the month as the country had a bank holiday on August 5.

Those seeking more information on changes in payments are encouraged to visit the government’s website. If you experience issues, you should contact the DWP helpline.