Gov Petition - Require all state pensions to be paid monthly

Eldi_Dos

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82055185#Comment_82055185

Go on then enlighten me, one of the joys of threads like this is you can learn things from people who have a bit of knowledge of the subject being discussed.

where_are_we

My OH and I get SP paid weekly. It`s handy to have money each week to cover DD bills etc. We keep only a few pence in our current account (plus an overdraft that is paid off before 8pm) and benefit from a little extra interest this way which is great with cash savings interest rates of 5% and more.

The_Green_Hornet

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82055587#Comment_82055587

National Insurance Fund Accounts - GOV.UK

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-insurance-fund-accounts/great-britain-national-insurance-fund-account-for-the-year-ended-31-march-2024

Eldi_Dos

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82055704#Comment_82055704

Thanks for that, was quite surprised at the drop in contributions in 2025 compared to previous year.

hugheskevi

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82055742#Comment_82055742

That was the year employee NI went down from 10% to 8%.

The Fund is all just financial hocus-pocus, as all the surplus is used to finance government operations. Hence the only way to use the surplus is to withdraw it from where it being used, which would then require alternative financing. Money is fungible, so more income coming into government from NI is no different to more money from income tax. It is just putting some largely irrelevant numbers to a pay-as-you-go system and pretending to run it on a funded basis.

So if the State Pension went up by less than expected, there would be more NI Fund surplus to fund other government activity, meaning less funding needed from other taxes or borrowing.

sgx2000

Ok I started this thread. Mainly because it is just an annoyance to receive my state pension earlier each month…

I am aware that the gov petition is old and poorly worded…

And I have considered posting a properly worded petition myself..

FYI.

'Gemini search answer'

Across mainland Europe, state pensions are paid monthly.

The main outlier to this rule is the United Kingdom, and to a lesser extent, Ireland.

The typical breakdown across Europe looks like this:

1. Mainland Europe: Monthly Payments

In almost every continental European nation (such as Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia), the state pension is treated like a regular monthly salary. It is calculated on a monthly basis and deposited into the recipient's bank account once a month—usually on the first or last working day of the month.

So… Why can they do this, and we can't?… The cost is just a bit of code on a computer…

Also why is it a BENEFIT? (That also really annoys me)

I paid into my private pension - It pays an ENTITLEMENT

("Entitlement is the official right to have or do something, such as a legal benefit, holiday, or pension")

I paid N.I.

Am I not entitled?

sgx2000

also…

Pretty much everyone on this forum is capable of sorting this themselves….

Now, imagine you are single, and 90 years old, and of declining mental accuity..

Is it still so simple?

p00hsticks

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82055880#Comment_82055880

So… Why can they do this, and we can't?… The cost is just a bit of code on a computer…

Excuse me while I roll around the floor laughing - you have no experience of large organisational computer systems, do you ? How much roughly do you think that cost would be ?

sgx2000

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82055895#Comment_82055895

Large organisation or not….It is still a bit of code…..Europe Can Do It….

p00hsticks

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82055887#Comment_82055887

If you're 90 you'll have been managing perfectly well receiving it weekly or four-weekly for the last 25 years at least - any change to suddenly start getting it monthly would be the thing that confuses them…..