Nationwide Building Society

At Nationwide we believe in making banking accessible, inclusive and fairer for all. We recognise that not everyone will transact or communicate in the same way, which is why we have: • Launched British Sign Language (BSL) translations of our web pages, in partnership with Signly. • Joined forces with charities and accessibility organisations to launch signingbanks.uk • Promised to keep every branch open until at least the start of 2028, because we know face-to-face banking is important. In this video Tash, our Wellington Branch Manager and Ruth, a Nationwide Member, discuss their experience of communicating using BSL in the branch. #DeafAwarenessWeek - Our branch opening hours may vary. Branch Promise excludes circumstances beyond our control. For verification see https://lnkd.in/eC-Qhn6E.

Over the past year, almost half of prospective first-time buyers have delayed their plans to buy a home. This comes as house prices fell by 0.4% in April compared to March according to our monthly House Price Index. Robert Gardner, our Chief Economist, commented, “The most commonly cited reason amongst those having to delay their plans to buy a home is that house prices are too high (53%), though 41% said that higher mortgage costs were preventing them from buying and a third cited deposit as a barrier”. Read more: http://spr.ly/6044jySZ6

As The One and Only branch in Windsor, we asked Chesney Hawkes to announce the winner of our Windsor Community Fund. The £10,000 raised will be spent on the installation of a local ‘pocket park’, which aims to bring an area of green space into the town centre - as voted for by local residents. Mandy Beech MBA, our Director of Retail Services, commented “The Windsor Community Fund is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to the local community that has stuck with us over the years, since our branch on William Street opened in 1979. A physical branch is not just about accessing money, it’s about being a part of the local community, supporting local people and businesses, and being there to provide a friendly, face-to-face service when our members need us."

According to recent research, 32% of people who want to buy their own home don’t think they will be able to. With buying your first home being harder than ever, we have worked with the Building Societies Association on a white paper, which calls on the Government to do more.   Rachael Sinclair, our Director of Mortgages and Financial Wellbeing, said: “Getting onto the property ladder remains as tough as ever, with our latest research showing that one in five prospective homeowners don’t think they’ll be able to buy until their forties. Collaboration is key if we are to resolve the first-time buyer conundrum and is why we are pleased to have worked with the Building Societies Association on this report, which calls for an independent review of the first-time buyer market. Without a collaborative approach, we risk the wheels spinning on the homeownership crisis indefinitely.” Read the full report below.

Almost half of first-time buyers say that their prospects of owning a home are further away than ever due to the cost of living crisis. As a result, one in five people don't think they'll be able to buy until their forties, according to our research. With buying your first home being harder than ever, we're calling on the Government to provide better support to first-time buyers, including: • An independent review into the first-time buyer market. • Stamp duty reform. • Re-introducing the Help to Buy ISA. • Enabling more lending at high loan to income levels.

We recognise the emotional and physical impact caring for an elderly person can have. As part of our commitment to build an inclusive environment, we have launched the Care Concierge Service, a new tool to support our colleagues who have caring responsibilities - provided by Legal & General. Joanna Hall, the Co-Chair of our Employee Working Carers Network commented, “This will be invaluable for many of our working carers who experience various challenges whilst juggling caring responsibilities and work – it’s great our colleagues will be able to talk about their individual circumstances. It can be a difficult time for these colleagues, so these resources and tools will be greatly appreciated." To find out more about our benefits, visit: http://spr.ly/6044wp86e

As a mutual, founded on a social purpose, we're committed to creating a sustainable future. Last week, we co-sponsored the Heat, Housing and the Future of Net Zero Homes event in Scotland, hosted by Holyrood Communications. The day consisted of a keynote from Patrick Harvie MSP, the Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings and Tenants Rights, and several panel discussions covering topics like the dual challenges of the housing crisis and green homes. James Rowlands, our Senior Policy and Public Affairs Manager, commented, "The event was a great opportunity to engage with The Scottish Government discussions around how to improve the energy efficiency of homes. Being able to engage directly with key stakeholders in Edinburgh helped demonstrate our commitment to green homes, and we even surprised a few people who weren’t aware of our interest in the issue and the products we offer."

The average UK house price has increased 1.6% compared to the same month in 2023, according to our recent House Price Index. This means the average price now stands at £261,142 compared to £257,122 the same time last year. Robert Gardner, our Chief Economist, commented, "UK house prices fell by 0.2% in March, after taking account of seasonal effects. Nevertheless, the annual rate of house price growth edged higher to 1.6% in March, from 1.2% in February. Activity has picked up from the weak levels prevailing towards the end of 2023 but remains relatively subdued by historic standards. This largely reflects the impact of higher interest rates on affordability. While mortgage rates are below the peaks seen in mid-2023, they remain well above the lows prevailing in the wake of the pandemic." Read more: http://spr.ly/6049ZLk3J

We have the biggest branch network in the UK and we promise to keep every branch open until at least the start of 2028. - Branch opening hours may vary. Source data for number of UK banking brand branches provided by CACI Ltd. Correct as at 31 December 2023. Excludes Post Office. For verification visit nationwide/branchbanking. Our Branch Promise excludes circumstances beyond our control. For verification see https://lnkd.in/eC-Qhn6E. Information correct as at 21.03.2024.

Ahead of International Women’s Day, our Chief Executive Officer, Debbie Crosbie, is supporting 30% Club UK's International Women’s Day campaign.    Debbie, who is our first female chief executive, reflected on her career journey and the importance of investing in the careers of female leaders.    Read more below…