Some retirees who claim the full basic State Pension will receive a combined total of £1,479.20 hit their account this month.
Some pensioners will be paid twice this month. (Image: Getty)
Some British retirees will receive a second State Pension payment in September. While some basic State Pension claimants would have already been paid on September 2, they also face the possibility of a second payment on September 30.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) pays the State Pension in four-week cycles rather than on the same date each month. As September 2026 contains five Tuesdays and five Wednesdays, some claimants will be paid twice this month. The date of payment depends on their National Insurance number, with digits 40 to 59 set to be paid again on Wednesday, September 30 for those who received it on Wednesday, September 2. Meanwhile, those with digits 20 to 39 will receive a second payment on Tuesday, September 29, having previously been paid on Tuesday, September 1.
The DWP said: “The basic State Pension is usually paid every 4 weeks into an account of your choice. If you want to change the account, tell the Pension Service. The day your pension is paid depends on your National Insurance number.”
Pensioners have been reminded that the second payment is not a bonus sum of cash. It is simply a regular four-week payment arriving earlier due to a calendar quirk.
This means that some pensioners face a longer gap before their next payout in late October. Experts advise ringfencing some of the extra cash to ensure claimants are not left short.
Retirees who claim the full basic State Pension will receive a combined total of £1,479.20 hit their account this month. Their usual £739.60 rate, paid every four weeks, is doubled.
The DWP adds: “After you’ve claimed your State Pension you’ll get a letter about your payments. The new State Pension is usually paid into your account every 4 weeks. If you want to change the account, tell the Pension Service.
“There are different rules if you live abroad. You’ll be asked when you want to start getting your State Pension when you claim. Your first payment will be no later than 5 weeks after the date you choose.
“You’ll get a full payment every 4 weeks after that. You might get part of a payment before your first full payment. The letter confirming your State Pension payment will tell you what to expect.
“The day your pension is paid depends on your National Insurance number. You might be paid earlier if your normal payment day is a bank holiday.”