September 2025 DWP payment dates for benefits, pensions and cost of living help

Benefit payments for September (Image: GETTY)

Millions in the UK are still struggling daily with the cost of living as prices continue to rise and household incomes are not able to support that. Research from the Resolution Foundation showed the cost of essential goods have stayed significantly high, more than the 'peak' of the cost of living crisis back in 2022.

Wages are stagnant, and cost of essentials are stubbornly high, many are unable to afford the daily necessities due to household bills being so extreme.

Data from The Food Foundation highlight how 13.9 percent of households in the UK experienced food insecurity in January 2025. Energy bills rose to £3.9 billion at the end of 2024. The household bills might be steadily high but households should be aware of all the support they can claim and are entitled to.

Portrait of a mid adult man checking his energy bills at home. He has a worried expression and touches his face with his hand while looking at the bills. Focus on the man while the interior architecture of the house is defocused.

UK households should be aware of what benefits they can claim(Image: Getty Images )

Whilst one in three people are claiming some sort of DWP-administered benefits, £23 billion worth of benefits still are unclaimed every year, figures from Policy in Practice show and their calculator on their website allows you to find out what you're entitled to.

The summary below highlights the financial support available to households this September and dates for benefit and state pension recipients should know.

Benefit payments are made as normal in September due to there are being no bank holidays. These include:

Universal Credit
State pension
Pension credit
Disability living allowance
Personal independence payment (PIP)
Child benefit
Carer's allowance
Attendance allowance
Employment support allowance
Income support
Jobseeker's allowance

The government's website shows how and when state benefits are paid. The DWP also aims to finish the migration of all 'legacy benefits' to Universal Credit by January 2026. If you receive income support, tax credit, housing benefit and jobseeker's allowance then a notice should have been given already to move to Universal Credit.

Basic state pension is paid into bank accounts the same sort of way benefits are paid; every four weeks, and if you check the last two digits of your national insurance (NI) number that coincides with the day you receive your pension.

The days based on those numbers are as follows:

00 to 19: Monday
20 to 39: Tuesday
40 to 59: Wednesday
60 to 79: Thursday
80 to 99: Friday

In April, all benefits value went up by 1.7 percent and this applied to all working-age benefits: universal credit, PIP, DLA, carer's allowance, attendance allowance, ESA and more. State pension has risen by 4.1 percent, up £472 a year which matches wage growth too in 2024.

For the future, next April all those that claim Universal Credit will get an above-inflation increase to their income after Labour's welfare bill. This will happen yearly until 2029, the first year will be at least 2.3 percent increase.

However, the monthly payment rate for the health part of Universal Credit for new claimants will be cut by just over half: £205 to £50 and this will be frozen until 2029. Anyone who thinks they are eligible for it should apply ASAP.

Additional help available and the details of them can be found on the government website but they are as follows:

Budgeting advance loans
Discretionary Housing Payment
Household Support Fund
Charitable grants
Energy provider help
Council tax reduction
Up to 30 hours of free childcare

The questions on whether the energy price cap is going up is yet to be announced for October to December, but will be announced at the end of August. Ofgem's price cap has been decreased for July to September from £1,849 to £1,720.

About the Cost of Living Payment scheme, the DWP has not said anything about its continuation. For those households that are eligible the last payment was and should have been made between the 6th February and 22nd February 2024.

For mental health support: Samaritans can be reached 24 hours a day, in the UK and Ireland, NHS England offer their online mental health triage service and Mind run their support line to speak about how you're feeling confidentially. Specifically in navigating the benefits system they also have their designated welfare benefits line which can be found on their website.

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