>> We get our State Pensions every 4 weeks and it is a pain in the
>> ar5e.
>>
>> Why can they not pay it on the same date every month?
The simple answer is that 'legacy' benefits, that is everything except Universal Credit, are set/ calculated weekly. Changing to monthly would be a massive logistical exercise to little real end.
Payment by bank credit replaced weekly order books (or giros) which were horrifically costly to process. I don't think the financial and political cost of change would anywhere near be covered by lower cost of 12 rather than 13 credit transfers.
Although 4 weekly payment is the norm Retirement Pension and Pension Credit can be paid weekly.
If are part of a 'mixed age couple' where one is over pension age and the other is not then you're not (since 2019) eligible for Pension Credit. You have to claim Universal Credit until you're both pension age.
In that case, for UC purposes, the pension is converted to monthly (*52/12) and deducted £1/£1 from the UC entitlement. As the single state pension is more than UC's Standard Allowance (ie living expenses) for a couple you may struggle to qualify.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Fri 25 Nov 22 at 11:56
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