The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Social Security Scotland have confirmed that state pension payments of £965 will land in bank accounts by the end of Monday for eligible pensioners in Scotland. This comes despite a bank holiday being held north of the border to mark Scotland's participation in the World Cup.
Payment Details
Social Security Scotland issued a public announcement reassuring recipients that payments are proceeding as scheduled. The full new state pension rate is worth £965 per month, or £241.30 per week. The DWP pays this to men born before 1951 and women born before 1953.
Social Security Scotland stated: "Our phonelines and webchat will be closed on Monday 15 June. They will reopen at 8am on Tuesday 16 June. Payments are not affected. If you're due a payment on Monday 15 June, you should usually receive it by the end of the day."
Bank Holiday Controversy
The bank holiday has sparked debate, with ITV's Good Morning Britain conducting a poll asking if it is "unfair for Scottish people to get a day off on Monday for the FIFA World Cup while the rest of the UK will be hard at work." Host Susanna Reid described the holiday as "outrageous" and questioned how long it would take Scots to "get over" their World Cup involvement. King Charles approved the one-off bank holiday for Scotland's first World Cup opening game.
In response to the poll, nearly 65% of respondents said the bank holiday is not unfair, while just over 35% voted that it is.
