Two-digit code that reveals if your state pension will paid early this month

THOUSANDS of retirees will see their state pension payments land earlier than usual this month.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) usually needs to shuffle payment dates around the holiday season.

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This means that thousands of benefit payments will be affected to accommodate the bank holidays over Christmas and New Year.

So, if your payment date lands on a bank holiday, you can expect to receive it earlier.

You should receive your money the first working day before the date you are supposed to be paid.

If you are due to be paid on Wednesday, December 25, Thursday, 26 and Friday, 27, your payment will arrive on Tuesday, 24 instead.

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The New Year bank holiday will also affect payments.

If you are due to be paid on Wednesday, January 1, the cash will land in your account on Tuesday, December 31.

Retirees can easily determine their usual state pension payment day by looking for a straightforward two-digit code.

This is because the final two digits of your National Insurance number specify the date on which your payments are issued.

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If those digits are between 00 and 19, your state pension is transferred on a Monday.

Numbers between 20 and 39 signal a Tuesday payment; meanwhile, figures from 40 to 59 indicate a Wednesday.

This pattern is continued throughout the week, with 60 to 79 codes paid on a Thursday and numbers 80 to 99 on Fridays.

If your state pension payments are scheduled for the week beginning 23 December, and your National Insurance number ends in digits between 40 and 99, you are likely to be affected by this change.

If you are paid earlier than usual, the amount you get will not change.

Remember that if you get paid early, you must make that money last, as you will have to wait extra days until your next payment date.

If you think you were supposed to be paid, but the money has not landed in your account, it may be worth double-checking the dates.

It's not just state pensioners who are set to receive their monthly payment early.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HMRC have confirmed the following other benefits will be affected :

• Attendance allowance
• Carer's allowance
• Disability living allowance
• Income support
• Jobseekers allowance
• Pension credit
• Personal independence payments (PIP)
• Universal Credit
• Child benefit (paid by HMRC)
• Tax credits (paid by HMRC)

UPCOMING BENEFIT CHANGES

Thousands of households on old-style legacy benefits are being moved to Universal Credit via Managed Migration.

The government is transitioning two million people to Universal Credit or pension credit.

The vast majority will be moved by April 2025.

The process started being rolled out in May last year after a successful pilot in July 2019.

Households are being contacted via letters telling them how to move from their old benefit to Universal Credit.

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Once you receive a letter, you have three months to move over, or you could lose your current benefits.

You can read more about the process and who is impacted here.