Frequency of state pension payments

Stubod

MattMattMattUK said:

Stubod said:

I get mine paid weekly....can't understand why you wouldn't??

Most people budget monthly so a payment every four weeks or every month is simple. Most jobs pay monthly, most other benefits are monthly. I cannot understand why someone wants payments coming in every week unless they are incredibly bad managing their money, monthly/four weekly are easy to manage.

..perfectly good at managing money thanks....spreadsheets going back 20+ years now.....

"I owe you some money, would you like it now, or would you like it after another few weeks????.....", each to their own I guess...

Dazed_and_C0nfused

QrizB said:

According to this article, 18% of UK workers are paid weekly and one-third would like to be paid weekly:

https://www.hrgrapevine.com/content/article/2025-03-12-a-third-of-brits-would-prefer-to-be-paid-weekly-amid-end-of-month-money-struggles

A survey by Indeed Flex reveals that despite strong demand for a weekly pay packet, only 18% of UK employees are paid every seven days, while 5% receive their pay fortnightly. The majority, 71%, are paid in a single monthly instalment. 

I haven't looked at it in any detail but there may well be information about the actual frequency people are being paid (as employees) in this data?

https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/bulletins/earningsandemploymentfrompayasyouearnrealtimeinformationuk/november2025

Silvertabby

4-weekly suits us.  Both our State pensions (and two each DB pensions) go into the same joint account.  Then the surplus is transferred into our ISAs.  

Really can't be bothered to monitor 12 payments a month, just for the sake of a few days of low interest.  And we like the 13th 'two payments in one month'.  That is splurged on special purchases for our respective hobbies.

Dazed_and_C0nfused

Silvertabby said:

4-weekly suits us.  Both our State pensions (and two each DB pensions) go into the same joint account.  Then the surplus is transferred into our ISAs.  

Really can't be bothered to monitor 12 payments a month, just for the sake of a few days of low interest.  And we like the 13th 'two payments in one month'.  That is splurged on special purchases for our respective hobbies.

I'm in that camp too, not the most MSE option but the 4 weekly payments are treated as it for the (calendar) month and the 13th is a nice bonus, not needed as part of regular financial planning.

Qyburn

Silvertabby said:

And we like the 13th 'two payments in one month'.  

Do you get all your two payment months in the same month? We both take SP weekly and it conveniently turns out that our five week months can never coincide, thus giving only a 12.5% variation between months.

Silvertabby

Qyburn said:

Silvertabby said:

And we like the 13th 'two payments in one month'.  

Do you get all your two payment months in the same month? We both take SP weekly and it conveniently turns out that our five week months can never coincide, thus giving only a 12.5% variation between months.

No - it moves on by one month each year.  A different month for each of us.  

poseidon1

xylophone said:

I cannot understand why someone wants payments coming in every week unless they are incredibly bad managing their money, monthly/four weekly are easy to manage.

The people I know who choose weekly payments are perfectly good at money management, had professional occupations where they were  monthly salaried and now receive occupational pensions paid monthly.

They just prefer to have the state pension in their interest bearing accounts rather than held back by the DWP........

Another vote in favour of weekly, and I am spreading that message far and wide. Amazing how few people realise it's always been an option.

Retired 10 years back. Majority of  investment income received quarterly, half yearly or yearly. Recently, have a bit more monthly income ( at the moment) via bank deposit interest, but the weekly state pension fills in the gaps quite nicely, and helps replenish the interest bearing current account maintained at £5k.

I sense the  weekly recipients amongst us are very much in the minority and probably will remain so.   For those who can't see the point , I no longer  try to explain, for those who can they jump on the option with alacrity.

BikingBud

I blame the Romans!

Vain people inventing irregular periods of time and ego-naming them rather than just sticking with the perfectly well balanced solar timing. 

kipsterno1

BikingBud said:

I blame the Romans!

Vain people inventing irregular periods of time and ego-naming them rather than just sticking with the perfectly well balanced solar timing. 

"What did the Roman's ever do for us?"

westv

7 pages about additional pennies.