State Pension payment dates query

everinthered

I turned 65 on Friday 3 May and already I'm a tad confused with the State Pension payments dates.
Here's why:-
As my NI number ends with 27, I assumed my pension payment day would be on a Tuesday but their letter informs me that I will be paid from Wednesday 8 May. Today is 8th May and nothing has been paid to my account yet; so does this mean I will have to wait until Wednesday 15 May for my first payment? 12 days does seem rather a long time to wait for my first payment. (I elected for weekly payments BTW)
On the other hand, my wife whose NI number ends with 96 (Friday pay day) and is claiming a Category B pension based on my NI payments received her first payment on Friday 3 May (Right on my birthday)
It just seems rather odd that my wife has a wait of zero days (I'm not complaining or jealous) whereas I must wait possibly 12 days for my first payment. Neither of us are on any kind of benefits.
Is there anybody in the know out there who may have an answer to my confusion.

anmarj

for state pension you are paid in arrears, your payday is Tuesday, but your entitlement runs from the previous Wednesday to your pay day, then your first payment will be Tuesday 14 May but covers the 8th - 14th, your entitlement letter would of explained this. I don't think she should of been paid on Friday 3rd as all payments are in arrears and should not of got her first payment until 10th

everinthered

anmarj wrote: »

for state pension you are paid in arrears, your payday is Tuesday, but your entitlement runs from the previous Wednesday to your pay day, then your first payment will be Tuesday 14 May but covers the 8th - 14th, your entitlement letter would of explained this. I don't think she should of been paid on Friday 3rd as all payments are in arrears and should not of got her first payment until 10th

I was aware that the State Pension is paid in arrears and like you, I was a tad surprised that my wife's was paid exactly on my birthday. The exact wording on both our letters is as follows:-

On mine it states - "You are entitled to the new amount of £xxx a week payable from 08 May 2013"
'New amount' because they had recalculated having added in the S2P for the 12/13 tax year. Nowhere does it mention that my first payment will be 14th May. Indeed, their wording seems to indicate that I should be paid on the 8th and as far as I'm concerned, that's still 'in arrears' - i.e 5 days after my 65th.

However, on my wife's letter it states - "This is to tell you that £xx, which is your benefit for the one week from 06 May to 12 May will go into the account you chose by 03 May. After that your money will be paid every week."

And true to their word, the money was paid in on the 3rd May.

anmarj

What you have then is a change in entitlement notice, you should of got an original letter which would of explained that your first payment would be due 14 May and that still stands which would have the old figures before they recalculated.

Was your wife State Pension age before you and not entitled to a pension in her own right till now? The dates you give relate to Monday payday being paid in advance which indicates she reached state pension age under the old rules. As Monday 6th was a bank holiday, the payment would go in early on the Friday, her future payments would then go in every Monday

everinthered

anmarj wrote: »

What you have then is a change in entitlement notice, you should of got an original letter which would of explained that your first payment would be due 14 May and that still stands which would have the old figures before they recalculated.

Was your wife State Pension age before you and not entitled to a pension in her own right till now? The dates you give relate to Monday payday being paid in advance which indicates she reached state pension age under the old rules. As Monday 6th was a bank holiday, the payment would go in early on the Friday, her future payments would then go in every Monday

Thank you anmarj. You are correct in that I received the original 'Award Notice and Statement of Details' letter some 3 and a bit months ago. And this is the wording in that letter:-

"You are entitled to a State Pension of £xxx a week, payable from 08 May 2013. You may be entitled to a part week payment to cover the period from your SPA up until your first full week of State Pension. If you are entitled to a part week payment, it will be issued separately or added to your next payment. State Pension is always paid in arrears."
Then it goes on about if you have been in receipt of working age benefits etc .... which I haven't. Again, nowhere does it mention a first payment date of 14 May. And the 'part week payment' intrigues me too.
My wife being just a year younger than me had already reached state pension age but as you say, was not entitled to a pension in her own right, hence her claim for a Category B pension based on my NI contributions. I see where you're coming from regarding the state pension, in her case, being under the old rules. That is something I had not considered. However, her letter clearly states that her payment will go into her account on 3 May, and after that, every week. You could be right concerning the public holiday on the Monday thing, so I'll check it out this Friday/Monday.
I should add that in the light of the very latest announcement regarding the discontinuing of Category B type pensions from 2016, we have been somewhat fortunate. The full impact of this has yet to be felt and as I cannot see the Coalition surviving the 2015 election, the next incumbents will have to take the flak. But that's another issue.