Nationwide payment issues: is online banking down, as customers face problems with payments before Christmas?

With less than a week to go until Christmas, many of us are still doing last minute shopping - however, Nationwide customers have been struck with payment issues.

This is everything you need to know about the situation and if it has been fixed.

What happened?

At around 7am on Tuesday 21 December, Nationwide customers were hit with payment delays affecting inbound and outgoing payments, just days before Christmas.

Many customers were concerned about receiving their pre-Christmas wages, with many taking to Twitter to express their frustrations.

One person wrote: “I have wages going in tonight, really need some sort of timeline or help.”

Another tweeted: “@Nationwide just messaging me about with no payments going into the bank, how am I supposed to get Christmas presents bought?”

“I still haven’t received my wages that were due in on Tuesday morning, what do I do now?” wrote another.

What has Nationwide said?

At 6pm on Tuesday 21 December, the official Nationwide Twitter account posted a statement which read: “We know that some of our members are experiencing difficulties making and receiving faster payments today.

“This is due to a technical issue which we are trying urgently to resolve. Problems with payments are unwelcome at any time but we know this is especially unwelcome so close to Christmas, and we are sorry for the inconvenience.

“If you’ve sent money already you don’t need to do anything, it’s in a queue and will be processed ASAP.

“We cannot say for sure when this issue will be fixed, but until we do, you can continue to:

• Move money between Nationwide accounts
• Use your cards online and in shops
• Log-in to our Internet Bank and Banking app
• Withdraw money at cash machine
• Send money from your account(s) - but this won’t go through straight away”

Has the issue been resolved?

At 9pm on Tuesday, Nationwide announced that the issue had been resolved.

The bank tweeted: “Our Faster Payments issue has now been fixed and we’re working to clear the queue.

“Thank you for your patience today and we’re sorry for the inconvenience this may have caused you.”

At 1:02am, the bank offered its final update, tweeting: “Our Faster Payments issue has been fixed and all delayed payments have now been processed.

“Thank you for your patience and we’re sorry for the inconvenience this may have caused you.”

The Nationwide website also has a service status tool which says that its services are working normally.

Responding to customers on Twitter, Nationwide explained that “payments via BACS like wages can go into accounts between midnight and 6am”.

Will Nationwide refund customers affected by late payment fees?

For many customers, the payment issues haven’t just affected being able to buy Christmas presents - many have also been hit with late payment fees as a result of the payment delays.

A Nationwide spokesperson said: “We apologise for the delays that members have experienced in sending and receiving faster payments.

“We will also refund all Nationwide charges and fees incurred as a result of the issue.”

Customers that have been affected by a charge or fee as a result of the payment delays are instructed to get in touch with the bank and proceed from there.

How can I complain?

If you’ve been affected by the payment delays from Nationwide and want to make a complaint, you can do so via the Nationwide website.

The quickest way to make a complaint is through the Nationwide online chat, which you can find on the Nationwide website. 

Alternatively, you can phone Nationwide on 0800302015, with lines open between 8am and 6pm from Monday to Friday, and between 9am and 12:30pm on Saturday.

You can also complain via letter. If you wish to write to Nationwide, include your name, address, account details, a contact number and an account of what happened and when.

The letter should be sent to:

The Complaints Team

Nationwide Building Society

NW 2020

Swindon

SN38 1NW

A message from the editor: Thank you for reading. NationalWorld is a new national news brand, produced by a team of journalists, editors, video producers and designers who live and work across the UK. Find out more about who’s who in the team, and our editorial values. We want to start a community among our readers, so please follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and keep the conversation going. You can also sign up to our newsletters and get a curated selection of our best reads to your inbox every day.