Nationwide could announce a £100 summer bonus for its customers: What’s fact, what’s rumour, and what you should do
Nationwide’s £100 summer bonus refers to the Nationwide Fairer Share Payment, a one-off member payment made to eligible Nationwide customers. In 2026, eligible members received £100 between 10 and 30 June, provided they met the qualifying current account, savings or mortgage criteria on 31 March 2026.
Key takeaways
- Nationwide paid a £100 Fairer Share Payment to eligible members between 10 and 30 June 2026.
- More than 4 million eligible members received the 2026 payment.
- Eligibility was assessed on 31 March 2026 and required a qualifying current account plus either qualifying savings or a qualifying mortgage.
- Qualifying savings meant at least £100 across eligible Nationwide personal savings accounts or cash ISAs at the end of any day in March 2026.
- A qualifying mortgage meant owing Nationwide at least £100 on a residential mortgage on 31 March 2026.
- The payment was made automatically by electronic transfer into an open Nationwide current account; no application was required.
- Nationwide says it would like to make a Fairer Share payment every year, but this depends on its financial performance; no future payment is guaranteed.
Is the Nationwide £100 summer bonus real?
Yes. The £100 summer payment was real for 2026, but it was not a general “bonus” for every Nationwide customer. It was the Nationwide Fairer Share Payment, a one-off payment for members who met specific eligibility rules.
Nationwide paid eligible members £100 between 10 and 30 June 2026. The building society said more than 4 million members received the payment, bringing the total paid through Fairer Share payments since 2023 to more than £1.5 billion.
Who received the £100 payment in 2026?
To receive the 2026 payment, a member needed a qualifying current account plus either qualifying savings or a qualifying mortgage on 31 March 2026.
| Requirement | 2026 rule |
|---|---|
| Current account | Had to be open on 31 March 2026 and meet account-specific activity rules. |
| Savings option | At least £100 in total across eligible personal savings accounts or cash ISAs at the end of any day in March 2026. |
| Mortgage option | At least £100 owed on a Nationwide residential mortgage on 31 March 2026. |
| Payment | One £100 payment per eligible member, paid between 10 and 30 June 2026. |
The current-account test depended on the type of account held on 31 March 2026.
- FlexPlus: The monthly fee for maintaining the account had to have been paid.
- FlexOne, FlexStudent or FlexGraduate: The account needed at least one payment in or one payment out during March 2026; charges, interest and balance adjustments did not count.
- FlexAccount, FlexDirect or FlexBasic: Members needed to meet one of two activity tests across two of January, February and March 2026: either receive at least £500 and make at least two payments out in each of those two months, or make at least 10 payments out in each of those two months.
A current account held with Clydesdale Bank, including one under the Virgin Money name, did not qualify for the 2026 payment.
How was the £100 paid?
Nationwide paid the money directly into an open Nationwide current account by electronic transfer. There was no claim form or application process for eligible members.
The payment appeared on the current-account statement as Nationwide Fairer Share Payment. If a member had more than one current account, Nationwide could pay into any of them; it generally used an account in the member’s sole name where one existed.
Did Virgin Money customers qualify?
Most customers who became Nationwide members through the legal transfer of Clydesdale Bank and Virgin Money accounts on 2 April 2026 were not eligible for the 2026 payment. This was because those products were not held with Nationwide during the financial year ending 31 March 2026.
Nationwide says those customers could be considered for a future Fairer Share payment, but it has not guaranteed one. Any future payment would depend on Nationwide’s financial performance and the criteria it sets at the time.
How does this differ from the £50 payment?
Nationwide also made a separate one-off £50 payment called The Big Nationwide Thank You. That payment was different from the Fairer Share Payment and had its own eligibility rules.
| Payment | Amount | Year | Main eligibility basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairer Share Payment | £100 | 2026 | Qualifying current account plus qualifying savings or mortgage on 31 March 2026. |
| The Big Nationwide Thank You | £50 | 2025 | Membership on the relevant date plus separate qualifying criteria, such as a qualifying transaction, balance or mortgage debt. |
Qualifying for one payment did not automatically mean a customer qualified for the other.
Is tax payable on the £100 payment?
Nationwide treats the Fairer Share Payment as interest for UK income tax purposes. It does not deduct tax before paying it, but reports the payment to HM Revenue & Customs.
Whether income tax is due depends on the total interest a person receives in the tax year and their Personal Savings Allowance. Nationwide advises anyone unsure about their position to seek their own tax advice.
How to avoid Nationwide payment scams
Scammers may use headlines about bank payments to send fake “claim now” messages. Nationwide made the 2026 Fairer Share Payment automatically, so customers did not need to apply through a link.
- Do not share a PIN, password, one-time passcode or full banking details in response to an unexpected message.
- Do not click links in unsolicited texts or emails claiming you must “claim” a Nationwide payment.
- Check payment information through the Nationwide app, online banking or official Nationwide contact channels.
- Be cautious of messages that create urgency, such as claims that an account will be closed unless you act immediately.
Could Nationwide pay another £100 bonus?
Nationwide says it would like to make a Fairer Share payment every year, but this depends on how it performs financially. It also states that the payment amount and eligibility criteria may change from year to year.
No future payment, amount, date or eligibility rule should be assumed. Readers should check Nationwide’s official Fairer Share page and the terms and conditions for the relevant year before making any account decisions.
FAQ
Has Nationwide paid a £100 summer bonus in 2026?
Yes. Eligible Nationwide members received a £100 Fairer Share Payment between 10 and 30 June 2026.
Did every Nationwide customer get £100?
No. Customers needed a qualifying current account plus either qualifying savings or a qualifying mortgage on 31 March 2026.
Did customers need to apply?
No. Nationwide paid eligible members automatically by electronic transfer into an open Nationwide current account.
How did the payment appear on statements?
It appeared as “Nationwide Fairer Share Payment.”
Could Virgin Money customers receive it in 2026?
Most customers transferred from Clydesdale Bank or Virgin Money on 2 April 2026 were not eligible for the 2026 payment because their products were not held with Nationwide during the qualifying financial year.
Will there be another payment?
Nationwide says it would like to make a Fairer Share payment every year, but this depends on its financial performance. No future payment is guaranteed.
