M&G and Aviva among dozen FTSE 100 dividend payers in October 

Inflation-beating dividend payments by high-yielding insurers Aviva (LSE:AV.), M&G  Ordinary Shares (LSE:MNG) and Standard Life (LSE:SDLF) are due in October as 12 FTSE 100 index companies prepare to hand over £2.4 billion.

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The trio's dividend income of about 6% compares with inflation's current rate of 3.1% and Bank of England projections of 4.2% by the first quarter of 2027.

The top yielding stock in October's dividend line-up is LondonMetric Property (LSE:LMP) at 6.9%, while car insurer Admiral Group (LSE:ADM), Croda International (LSE:CRDA) and GSK (LSE:GSK) also have current yields above inflation.

The pharmaceuticals giant is the month's biggest payer overall as the 8 October distribution of a quarterly dividend of 17p a share is worth £681 million.

The financial sector accounts for £1 billion of October's FTSE 100 dividend haul, including £165 million from Prudential (LSE:PRU) through 8.88 US cents (6.71p) a share on 22 October.

The Pru's shares yield 2.1%, which compares with the 5.7% of Aviva as the second biggest payer of the month through its distribution of £419 million on 15 October.

The interim award of 14p a share represents a 7% increase on a year earlier, in line with Aviva's policy to grow the cash cost by mid-single digits.

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Standard Life yields 6.2%, which compares with 8.5% a year ago after shares in the former Phoenix Group business rose by more than 35% over that period.

The retirement and savings business has increased the interim award for payment on 29 October by 2.6% to 28.05p a share, an outlay of £281 million.

Standard told investors in September it had significantly improved its ability to both cover a growing dividend and generate a rising level of excess cash.

It expects the year-end £2 billion acquisition of Aegon UK will provide it with “even greater flexibility” to invest in growth or return capital.

The deal, which will make Standard the largest player in the UK pensions and savings market serving 16 million customers, should unlock £800 million of net synergies and increase its excess cash by about £400 million over the next five years.

M&G has also seen its yield come down from last year's 8% to about 6.3%, reflecting the impact of a 29% rise for shares over that period.

The savings and investments business is scheduled to hand over 6.8p a share on 16 October, up from 2025's 6.7p as part of its dividend policy to pay one-third of the previous year's total.

The outlay is £162 million, having returned £4.4 billion to investors since listing in 2019.

Chief executive Andrea Rossi said on a recent call with City analysts: “Our investors are very, very pleased with what we're doing in terms of capital returns. Now it's time for growth, we are focusing on growth, that's our focus.”

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The 6.9% yield of Londonmetric Property represents the current pick of the property space.

The urban logistics-focused real estate investment trust (REIT) has increased its dividend per share for 11 years running, including by 3.8% to 12.45p in the 2025/26 year. This was 108% covered by earnings.

Its first quarterly dividend for 2026/27 is due for payment on 6 October and has increased by 3.3% to 3.15p a share.

Chief executive Andrew Jones highlighted the company's scale advantage at May's annual results. He said: “Our operating leverage is clear: in the year, our dividend payments were nine times total overheads.

“Scale, efficiency, liquidity and hard work position LondonMetric to continue creating long term value.”

Jones added that LondonMetric is a step closer to its ambition of “dividend aristocracy”, representing 25 consecutive years of growth.

He added: “We are grounded in the belief that income compounding is one of the true wonders of investing – the essential ingredient and rocket fuel of long-term wealth creation.”

Among the month's other dividend payers, car insurer Admiral is due to distribute £211 million through 70.5p a share on Friday 2 October. The shares yield dividend income of 4.4%.

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Croda International stands at 3.4% ahead of its latest award on 6 October, when shareholders will receive an interim dividend of 48p a share.

The figure is unchanged on the previous year as the speciality chemicals firm focuses on restoring earnings cover. It recorded a payout ratio of 76% at the 2025/26 full-year results, which is above its stated policy of 40-50% of adjusted earnings.

InterContinental Hotels Group (LSE:IHG) is due to pay its dividend on Thursday, followed by Games Workshop Group (LSE:GAW) on 5 October, Endeavour Mining (LSE:EDV) on 9 October and FTSE 100 newcomer Computacenter (LSE:CCC) on 23 October.

Source: interactive investor, ShareScope. Data and dividend conversions to sterling from euros at exchange rate correct on 29 September 2026.