Key money dates for September 2025

The dates you need to know about to help you stay on top of your money in September.  

1 September - free childcare boost  

From September, the government's free childcare policy will double the allowance from 15 hours of free childcare per week to 30 hours. Parents will be eligible once their child is nine months old. 

Families are being urged to apply for free childcare support before the deadline on Sunday 31 August. You can apply for free childcare here. 

1 September - First Direct ends paper statements  

Starting 1 September, First Direct customers will stop receiving savings account statements by post. 

Instead, you'll get your statements digitally, through the mobile app or through online banking. 

1 September - bank branch closures   

In September, Halifax will permanently close 13 of its branches and NatWest will shut 29 branches.  

16 September - wage data released  

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) will release the latest wage figures. 

This data shows: 

• how fast your pay is growing 

• employment trends 

• PAYE payroll trends 

It’s also used to help set state pension increases, so it’s a key figure to watch. 

17 September - inflation update  

On 17 September, the ONS will reveal the latest inflation rate. 

Why it matters: 

• if inflation is high, your money doesn’t stretch as far 

• if inflation drops, it doesn’t mean prices are falling, they’re just rising more slowly 

In July, inflation rose to 3.8%, the highest since January 2024. 

This is the big one if you’re borrowing money for things like mortgages, loans or credit cards. 

On 18 September, the Bank of England will announce whether the base interest rate will go up, down, or stay the same. 

A higher base rate means more expensive borrowing and a lower base rate means potentially cheaper borrowing.  

30 September - Household support fund  

The Department for Work and Pensions recently announced a further extension to the household support fund. Round 7 funding will run from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026. 

The funding will be split, meaning that eligible households can apply for support twice during the round 7 funding period. 

• 1 April 2025 to 30 September 2025 

• 1 October 2025 to 31 March 2026  

Each council decides what type of help to offer, but it usually comes in the form of vouchers for supermarkets or energy bills, one-off cash grants that don't need to be paid back or even free appliances, like air fryers.   

You should get in touch with your local council to apply for the funding. Details of local councils can be found on the government website.