Millions of pensioners and claimants of welfare benefits in the U.K. will have their payments made earlier than they would otherwise have been given with the Summer Bank Holiday in August.
According to the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP), payments that were due on Monday, Aug. 31, will instead be issued on Friday, Aug. 28. The change applies to payments due to be received on Monday, Aug. 31, 2026 as this is a Bank Holiday.
As stated by the DWP, this change includes the State Pension; as well as several large benefits such as Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Income Support, Job Seeker’s Allowance, and Pension Credit. These changes will take place without needing to apply for these payments.
All payments listed above will be made one day early. The DWP did state that all payments are being made earlier due to the fact that there is a Bank Holiday on the 31st of August.
These payments include Employment & Support Allowance and Industrial Injury Compensation Scheme Payments.
Although the Bank Holidays in Scotland differ slightly to England and Wales, the DWP has stated that it will still be applying to all parts of the United Kingdom.
Those who typically receive payments on days other than the first Monday in each month are not affected by the decision made by the DWP.
Payment Days Based On National Insurance Numbers
GOV.UK provides information regarding how individuals can find out what day of the week they will receive their State Pension based upon the last two digits of their National Insurance number.
For example:
- Numbers ending in 00-19 are paid on Mondays.
- Numbers ending in 20-39 are paid on Tuesdays.
- Numbers ending in 40-59 are paid on Wednesdays.
- Numbers ending in 60-79 are paid on Thursdays.
- Numbers ending in 80-99 are paid on Fridays.
The new State Pension is usually paid to pensioners every four weeks. In addition, according to government guidance, payments may be made sooner if a recipient’s typical payment day occurs during a Bank Holiday.
Therefore, pensioners who have scheduled payment for Monday, August 31 do not need to submit a separate request to receive their payment on the preceding business day.
Eligibility For New State Pension
Men born on or after April 6th, 1951 and women born on or after April 6th, 1953 qualify for the new State Pension.
Individuals reached State Pension age starting from April 6th, 2016, began qualifying for the new State Pension under government guidelines for State Pension eligibility.
The current weekly rate of the full new State Pension is £241.30 for the 2026-27 financial year. However, receiving the full amount is not guaranteed. An individual’s pension is dependent on their National Insurance record which takes into consideration both their National Insurance contributions and credits earned throughout their career.
In general, people require at least ten qualifying years on their National Insurance record to receive some form of new State Pension.
Qualifying years can be obtained through employment that generates National Insurance Contributions, receipt of certain types of National Insurance Credits or through voluntary contributions.
This Change Will Not Result In Additional Funds
The change in payment schedule does not mean that an individual will receive extra money. Instead, it merely affects when a scheduled payment will reach their account.
An individual receiving their payment on August 28 as opposed to August 31 receives the same payment earlier than expected but does not receive an additional payment.
The DWP stated that they made this change to ensure that recipients receive their money prior to the bank holiday.
