Nationwide Building Society has issued a critical deadline for customers to claim £50 bonus payments, warning that failure to act could mean missing out on the cash.
The January 2026 Deadline
The financial institution has confirmed that customers who received cheques as part of its Big Thank You initiative must cash them by January 1, 2026. This one-off payment scheme was launched following Nationwide's acquisition of Virgin Money, benefiting over 12 million customers across the UK.
While the majority of eligible customers received their £50 directly into their bank accounts, some payments were dispatched via postal cheques. These are the payments now at risk of being lost if not claimed before the fast-approaching deadline.
Don't Let Your Cheque Expire
Nationwide acknowledges that while most recipients likely cashed their cheques promptly, some may have been overlooked or misplaced. The building society is urging customers to check drawers and letter piles for any forgotten cheques that could still be valid.
For those who miss the January 2026 cutoff, there might still be hope. A Nationwide spokesperson stated: "Any enquiries from customers who have been unable to deposit their cheque by January 1, 2026 will be considered on a case-by-case basis."
Understanding the Big Thank You Payment
The unprecedented giveaway saw payments made directly into either current accounts, instant access savings accounts, or limited access savings accounts in the eligible customer's name. This £50 bonus payment represented one of the largest customer reward programmes following a major financial institution takeover.
Most Nationwide customers qualified for the free cash as part of this landmark customer appreciation scheme, though only those who received physical cheques need to take immediate action to secure their money before the deadline passes.
