Nationwide has issued a warning following a major change across all 605 of its branches. The mutual, which operates branches in Birmingham, is rolling out a sweeping change aimed at tackling a significant barrier that some customers face.
Detailed accessibility guides introduced
Nationwide has introduced comprehensive accessibility guides for every single branch. Produced in collaboration with accessibility specialists AccessAble and linked via Nationwide’s branch finder, the guides provide precise information about what customers can expect before they visit.
The guides cover everything from step-free access and hearing loops to lowered counters and the availability of British Sign Language interpreters. More than 500 guides are already live, with all 605 expected to be completed by the end of May.
The Purple Pound opportunity
Disabled households wield a staggering £446 billion in spending power every year, known as the “Purple Pound,” research shows. However, 82 per cent of disabled people cite missing accessibility information as the biggest barrier to assessing venues, and 79 per cent struggle to judge accessibility in advance.
Nationwide, which competes with HSBC UK, Santander, NatWest, Lloyds, Barclays, and others, stated that the Purple Pound represents a “significant opportunity” for firms willing to act.
Stephen Noakes, Nationwide’s retail director, said: “The Committee is right to scrutinise how the financial services industry promotes and supports financial inclusion, but other sectors have a role to play too. At Nationwide, we are continuously working to create accessible and inclusive experiences, so everyone has the ability to do their banking with ease and in the way that they choose. While there is no single solution to accessibility, ensuring people can easily find out whether they can enter your premises is about as straightforward as it gets. Start with sharing the facts.”
Dr Gregory Burke, founder of AccessAble, said clear accessibility details should be treated as a basic consumer right, adding that Nationwide’s move marks a “significant step forward.”
