Pension Shortfall

[malagabob]

Further to my earlier post. It’s the end of the month, and my wife has had a total of 3 pension payments this month. She is supposed to have one weekly. I’ve emailed and got no reply off DWP. Not even an acknowledgement to the email.Phoned the number for Wolverhampton, and got nowhere. The answer machine goes through the usual. Do to covid etc.etc . Press 1 for this 2 for that. In the end the person says goodbye. End of call. Anyone know of a number I can speak to a real person. I’ve contemplated going to a Jobcentre. Or is it a waste of time as they’re a completely different department.

[MartinMillar]

I would imagine that over Christmas and new year the payments are paid early and out of sequence

[bednobs]

are you in the UK? All benefits ive ever had have been paid 4 weekly, not weekly. DID SHE GET A LETTER??
sorry for the shoutyness, but you dont appear to be reading my posts

[barry1010]

Why didn't she get a payment on the 7th December? I thought all state pensions were now paid monthly.

[ubasses]

4 weekly not monthly Barry, means every every quarter you get an extra.

[malagabob]

Sorry bednobs. She may have had the letter you mention before she retired but honestly I can’t recollect it.
Barry I don’t know why the payments are random not roughly 7 days apart. If I get through to DWP it’s one of the questions I’ll be asking plus I’ll want a full investigation on past payments, as it seems more payments have been missed.

[gingejbee]

...and if you opted for weekly payments at the start, that's what you get.

[barry1010]

Are they all state pension payments? Not attendance allowance or other benefits?

[gingejbee]

Don't forget that at bank holidays, payments are often earlier which gives the impression of "randomness".

[malagabob]

All state pension Barry.
Gingerbee I assume payments are electronic ie payment of x amount to be paid every 7 days regardless if a payment falls on a Sat, Sun or bank holiday.

[gingejbee]

Firstly, they would only be credited to an account on a weekday, not Sat or Sun. And if the payment day was nominally a bank holiday, payment is actually credited on the previous working day...which could explain why this "problem" has surfaced at Christmas/New Year.

[petland]

Your wife and my wife are on the same weekly time scale. The payments you should concentrate on are those for 23 December and 31 December which have been paid early and represent those due on 28 December and 4 January both of which were Bank holidays. The payment on 7 December should be £10 more representing the Christmas bonus. Hope this clarifies everything. All your payments seem to be in order.

[gingejbee]

petland and I are working from the same sheet, methinks!

[pastafreak]

I'm on weekly...that's what I chose...and it's every Monday.

[THECORBYLOON]

Are you in Scotland, as Jan 4th was not a Bank Holiday outwith Scotland?

Was the amount of each credit only for one week's benefit?

[emmie]

don't think Bob is in Scotland, possibly Wales now?

[emmie]

mine sp is monthly its easier that way i find.

[THECORBYLOON]

Don't give your wife's full National Insurance (NI) Number but what are the last two digits and don't include the last letter?

[andres]

Oh got his on the 7/12 plus the £10 then 14/12,21/12,23/12,31/12
I think the two 21/12 and 23/12 are paid like that just in case people are struggling at Christmas.
Haven't got January's balance sheets yet. Probably in a couple of days.

[wolf63]

Corby - do they still use the last two numbers to work out pay days?

[THECORBYLOON]

Yes, that's why I was asking. In theory, the Secretary of State (delegated of course) can allocate another pay day but during my years with DWP and its predecessors, I had never seen that done.