**Nationwide to Reward Four Million Customers with £100 Bonus in Latest ‘Fairer Share’ Payment**
Nationwide Building Society has announced a further round of payouts, confirming that millions of its members will soon benefit from a £100 deposit directly into their accounts. The move marks the latest phase of Nationwide’s Fairer Share scheme, which aims to return profits to customers at a time when many are seeking financial reassurance amid the ongoing cost-of-living challenges.
Under the initiative, Nationwide will distribute a substantial £400 million amongst approximately four million eligible customers. The building society, which is the largest in the UK, stated that individuals qualifying for the bonus need not take any action; the funds will automatically land in their Nationwide current accounts between 18 June and 4 July 2025.
To qualify for the bonus, customers must hold a Nationwide current account in conjunction with either a savings account or a mortgage. Additional conditions specify that the current account must have been opened on or before 31 March 2025. For those relying on savings to meet eligibility, a minimum balance of £100 must have been present in the savings account at some point during March of this year. If qualifying via a mortgage, at least £100 needed to be outstanding on the mortgage as of 31 March 2025.
Nationwide will notify eligible customers by email or letter by the end of May, offering those who are unsure a clear line of communication. Detailed guidance on account-by-account criteria is also available to help members understand if they are in line for the reward. This latest announcement comes hot on the heels of a notable increase in the society’s annual profits, following their acquisition of Virgin Money. Statutory pre-tax profit figures for Nationwide rose by 30% in the last financial year, climbing to £2.3 billion from the previous year’s £1.8 billion. Despite this headline increase, the society noted a small decrease in underlying profits as it directed more resources to maintain attractive interest rates for its customers.
The recent pay-out follows what has been hailed as a record-breaking year for the mutual, with Nationwide not only announcing robust profits of £3.1 billion, but also allocating unprecedented value to members. Debbie Crosbie, Chief Executive, acknowledged the achievement, stating: “Nationwide has had an outstanding twelve months. We returned a record £2.8 billion in value to our members and recorded our highest ever year for growth in mortgage lending and retail deposit balances, while also maintaining our position as first for customer service.”
Regular and one-off bonus distributions have become a familiar feature for members. Earlier in 2025, those whose accounts were transferred from Virgin Money received a £50 reward to mark the successful integration. A similar £385 million was shared amongst nearly 3.85 million customers in the previous year, and £340 million in 2023, making these payments an established benefit among the society’s membership.
To ensure fairness, Nationwide has set different qualifying rules depending on the type of current account held. Those with FlexOne, FlexStudent, or FlexGraduate accounts simply need to have made at least one payment in or out during March 2025, unless they recently switched using the Current Account Switch Service between January and March. For FlexAccount, FlexDirect, or FlexBasic, criteria include receiving at least £500 in two out of the three months at the start of the year (excluding intra-Nationwide transfers) or making at least ten outgoing payments. FlexPlus account-holders are required to continue paying the monthly fee.
The return of profits to customers, rather than institutional shareholders, has long been a principle of the mutual model, and Nationwide’s approach has drawn considerable attention during a year marked by economic uncertainty. These payouts not only offer direct financial support to individuals but also reinforce the society’s commitment to rewarding loyalty and maintaining competitiveness in the UK’s highly contested financial services sector.
At a time when consumer trust in large financial institutions is often under scrutiny, Nationwide’s bonus initiative could bolster its reputation for member-first policies. Whether this signals a sustained trend in mutuals channelling profits back to customers remains to be seen, but for many account holders, a timely £100 boost offers welcome respite as they face the realities of everyday expenses.