State pensioners across the UK are set to receive a £230 payment from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on Friday if they have a two-digit code.
The State Pension rates go up at the start of every new tax year on April 6, with the increase determined by the highest out of one of three factors, known as the ‘triple lock’. These include the consumer price index (CPI) measure of inflation (measured for September in the previous year), average wage growth between May and July of the previous year, or 2.5%. Whichever is the highest out of these three determines the State Pension rates for the new tax year.
In the current 2025/26 tax year, both the basic and new State Pensions have been uprated by 4.1% in line with the annual increase in the average weekly earnings index for May to July 2024. As the UK’s State Pension system is split into two schemes – basic and new – your State Pension payment amount depends on when you retired.
For those who get the new State Pension, the full weekly payment rate is now £230.25 per week, while the full rate for the basic State Pension is now £176.45. The DWP says this will provide those on the new State Pension with an extra £470 per year (if you get the full rate), and an extra £360 annually for basic State Pension claimants (again, if you get the full rate).
The new rates mean state pensioners now get a little extra cash in their pockets each month – and some are in line to get their next payment – of up to £230 – on Friday, if they have a very specific two-digit code.
The State Pension is typically paid every four weeks and when you first claim it, you choose the date when you want to receive your payment. Pensioners can determine their usual State Pension payment day by looking for the two-digit code at the end of their National Insurance number, as this specifies the date on which payments are normally issued. This is how National Insurance numbers correspond to payment days:
- 00 to 19 – paid on Monday
- 20 to 39 – paid on Tuesday
- 40 to 59 – paid on Wednesday
- 60 to 79 – paid on Thursday
- 80 to 99 – paid on Friday
So if your National Insurance number ends in 80 to 99 it means your usual payment normally falls on a Friday. As such, if your usual payment is early on in the month and the last-two digits of your National Insurance number are between 80 and 99, then you should get your next payment on Friday, May 9.
The DWP explains: “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.”
