State Pension Gripe

davebtelford · 05-01-2012, 19:14

Just started getting my pension - grateful for it - but why can't they pay it monthly instead of weekly, 4-weekly or 12 weekly? Most, if not all, other receipts to & payments from my bank account occur monthly (on fixed dates) but the default 4-weekly pension payment date will keep moving around so I can't count on it to cover a direct debit at a particular date & I will have to be continually checking what my balance is.

I find it really antiquated & pretty annoying

jaysay · 05-01-2012, 19:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by davebtelford

Just started getting my pension - grateful for it - but why can't they pay it monthly instead of weekly, 4-weekly or 12 weekly? Most, if not all, other receipts to & payments from my bank account occur monthly (on fixed dates) but the default 4-weekly pension payment date will keep moving around so I can't count on it to cover a direct debit at a particular date & I will have to be continually checking what my balance is.

I find it really antiquated & pretty annoying

A lot of people work from week to week, to be honest I don't actually know what your gripe is, ya might have somat to gripe about if they weren't paying you

Gordon Booth · 05-01-2012, 19:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by davebtelford

Just started getting my pension - grateful for it - but why can't they pay it monthly instead of weekly, 4-weekly or 12 weekly? Most, if not all, other receipts to & payments from my bank account occur monthly (on fixed dates) but the default 4-weekly pension payment date will keep moving around so I can't count on it to cover a direct debit at a particular date & I will have to be continually checking what my balance is.

I find it really antiquated & pretty annoying

It's based on a weekly pension- a calendar month isn't four weeks so your pension would vary every month and you'd never know whether it was right or not.

Also you'd only get 12 monthly payments, now you get 13! The 13th is a bonus(??).

susie123 · 05-01-2012, 19:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

A lot of people work from week to week, to be honest I don't actually know what your gripe is, ya might have somat to gripe about if they weren't paying you

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordon Booth

It's based on a weekly pension- a calendar month isn't four weeks so your pension would vary every month and you'd never know whether it was right or not.

Also you'd only get 12 monthly payments, now you get 13! The 13th is a bonus(??).

Spot on both of you. Also monthly would probably be more expensive to administer as there would have to be a different calculation each month.

jaysay · 05-01-2012, 19:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordon Booth

It's based on a weekly pension- a calendar month isn't four weeks so your pension would vary every month and you'd never know whether it was right or not.

Also you'd only get 12 monthly payments, now you get 13! The 13th is a bonus(??).

DLA is paid 4 weekly Gordon, not callendar monthly, the payment date varies so you do actually get 13 payments per year

Gordon Booth · 05-01-2012, 19:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

DLA is paid 4 weekly Gordon, not callendar monthly, the payment date varies so you do actually get 13 payments per year

So you get an extra one free as well!

jaysay · 05-01-2012, 19:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordon Booth

So you get an extra one free as well!

Ya DLA is paid that way Gordon, always has been, well since I've been on it that is, I suppose its easier really, as you said earlier there would be more different payments if it was paid calendar monthly, the Backs system is just programed to pay out every 4 weeks usually on a Tuesday

Benipete · 05-01-2012, 19:57

Open a second account and transfer a set amount every month to cover your standing orders.Simples.

garinda · 06-01-2012, 00:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benipete

Open a second account and transfer a set amount every month to cover your standing orders.Simples.

Just about to suggest the same thing.

Have your pension paid into one account, and transfer whatever's in there, on whatever date you want it paid into another account.

As others have pointed out, state pensions are paid so much per week.

Unlike a salary, which is just divided by twelve, and means you get the same amount, regardless if it's a 28 day, or a 31 day month.

davebtelford · 06-01-2012, 08:27

To my way of thinking the weekly payment is an historical relic from when every pensioner trundled off down to to the post office on Thursday morning to queue up and collect their allotment. Life ain't like that now for most of us - we have been used to getting wages/salaries paid monthly & most bills also get paid monthly by direct debit. It wouldn't be difficult to calculate what the weekly pension equals per month and pay it in 12 instalments instead of 13. S'only arithmetic!

jaysay · 06-01-2012, 09:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by davebtelford

To my way of thinking the weekly payment is an historical relic from when every pensioner trundled off down to to the post office on Thursday morning to queue up and collect their allotment. Life ain't like that now for most of us - we have been used to getting wages/salaries paid monthly & most bills also get paid monthly by direct debit. It wouldn't be difficult to calculate what the weekly pension equals per month and pay it in 12 instalments instead of 13. S'only arithmetic!

What the hell difference does it make whether you get paid 52 or 13 payments a year, your still getting your money, there are always some people who moan at the least thing, god help you if you ever have a real major crisis in your life.

garinda · 06-01-2012, 10:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by davebtelford

To my way of thinking the weekly payment is an historical relic from when every pensioner trundled off down to to the post office on Thursday morning to queue up and collect their allotment. Life ain't like that now for most of us - we have been used to getting wages/salaries paid monthly & most bills also get paid monthly by direct debit. It wouldn't be difficult to calculate what the weekly pension equals per month and pay it in 12 instalments instead of 13. S'only arithmetic!

If it's such a big problem, have it paid into an account, and don't touch it for a year.

The following year, divide it by twelve, and 'pay' yourself a monthly salary.

Benipete · 06-01-2012, 14:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by davebtelford

To my way of thinking the weekly payment is an historical relic from when every pensioner trundled off down to to the post office on Thursday morning to queue up and collect their allotment. Life ain't like that now for most of us - we have been used to getting wages/salaries paid monthly & most bills also get paid monthly by direct debit. It wouldn't be difficult to calculate what the weekly pension equals per month and pay it in 12 instalments instead of 13. S'only arithmetic!

Write down the day you were last paid.

Add 28 - Subtract the number of days in that month.

That should be the date you get paid next month.S'only arithmetic

.

Barrie Yates · 06-01-2012, 15:14

I think it is paid 4 weekly if you choose to have it paid into a bank. Mine is always paid on a Friday every 4 weeks - just mark a calender so that you can always know when it is paid in.

Michael1954 · 06-01-2012, 22:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barrie Yates

I think it is paid 4 weekly if you choose to have it paid into a bank. Mine is always paid on a Friday every 4 weeks - just mark a calender so that you can always know when it is paid in.

That's what my mother has done for years. She just marks the dates off in her diary counting every 4 weeks. I can't understand why being paid every 4 weeks is being made out to be such a problem.