Nationwide issues update on free £100 cash handout for all customers | Personal Finance | Finance
Millions of Brits could qualify for Nationwide’s £100 Fairer Share payment. Following a major high street banking takeover, over 6.3 million Virgin Money account holders became Nationwide members earlier this year.
This merger means about three million customers may now be eligible for Nationwide’s Fairer Share payment going forward.
The eligibility deadline fell in March this year, so Virgin Money customers won’t receive the payment in 2026. From 2027 onwards, though, they could qualify for the £100 payment, which the building society typically distributes annually.
Stephen Noakes, Nationwide’s director of retail, said: “The acquisition of Virgin Money enables us to expand the benefits of mutuality, and we look forward to sharing the additional value we can create for our new members.
“From exclusive savings rates to existing member benefits, we want there to be every reason to join Britain’s biggest building society, which continues to be the UK’s most switched-to current account provider.”
Details regarding this year’s payment will be announced by the building society on May 21. More than four million members received the £100 Fairer Share payment in 2025, according to Nationwide’s figures.
Members holding a qualifying current account, alongside either qualifying savings or a qualifying mortgage, were awarded the £100. They were required to have satisfied these conditions at the last verification on March 31, 2025.
One satisfied Nationwide customer praised the payouts, saying: “I’ve been with Nationwide for as long as I can remember. Always been the best. You helped me when my husband died 13 years ago. And now you’re helping again. So thank you, Nationwide.”
A second customer enthused: “Nationwide are absolute legends with fairer share payment case, it meant I got all my merch at Alton Towers yesterday for free, legends.”
To qualify for the payment, members were required to hold an open Nationwide current account at the time of the payout, though it didn’t have to be the qualifying account. Those without an active account were deemed ineligible.
The payment appeared on bank statements as ‘Nationwide Fairer Share Payment,’ and eligible members received a notification via text message or the Nationwide app.
