Nationwide explains how to claim £50 payment if you don't have access to account

Nationwide Building Society has provided guidance on how to get a £50 payment if you are struggling to access your account. The group is paying out the bonus payment to over 12 million members, as a thank you gesture.

The group recently said it had sent out the vast majority of the payments so it's worth checking if yours has arrived. One customer recently contacted the provider as they had received a phone message saying the amount had been paid into their account.

However, the person was unsure if the payment was correct as they had not used Nationwide for a long time. The building society responded to explain the reason for the payment: "In October 2024, we purchased Virgin Money, which was made possible by the financial strength Nationwide members helped us build.

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"To say thank you, we’re sending over 12 million of our Nationwide members, a one-off payment of £50 as part of The Big Nationwide Thank You." But the customer further explained their problem, saying they couldn't find the details for their account and they weren't able to find them using the Nationwide online help service.

Fortunately, Nationwide had a solution for them, saying: "If you visit your nearest branch with photo ID, they will be able to get the details for you to get you access back to the account." The £50 payments are being paid directly into bank accounts or being issued as a cheque, depending on what type of Nationwide customer you are.

Nationwide said in a recent update: "Customers can check their original letter or email as this will detail which account we will make the payment into."

Who qualifies for the £50 Nationwide payment?

To receive the thank you payment, you need to have been a Nationwide member on September 30, 2024, and still be a customer when the payment is sent out to you.

You also need to meet one of these criteria. In the 12 months to the end of September 2024, you must have had either:

• At least one qualifying transaction on your Nationwide current account or savings account, or
• At least £100 in total in one or more of your Nationwide current accounts and savings accounts, or
• Owed at least £100 in total on one or more Nationwide residential mortgages.

You may also be eligible if you made a switch to a Nationwide current account, between July 1 and September 30, 2024, using the Current Account Switch Service.

Where will I receive the £50 Nationwide payment?

Customers with a Nationwide current account, instant access or limited access savings account in your name, will receive the funds into one of these accounts, by April 30.

If not and if you are a mortgage customer with Nationwide, you'll get the cash paid into the account used to pay your mortgage direct debit, also by April 30.

All other payments will be going out in the form of a cheque and will be issued by May 14. These must be paid in by January 1, 2026, to make sure you don't miss out on the payment.