News

Nationwide customers to receive £100 share payments into their accounts

Published

3 years ago

May 19, 2023

NATIONWIDE, the largest building society in the UK, has informed many of its customers that they will be receiving £100 next month as part of its new share offer. The financial institution confirmed this announcement on Friday, revealing that the money will be distributed to customers with savings or current accounts who meet specific criteria.

As a building society owned by its customer members, Nationwide aims to ensure that its members benefit from profits through improved saving rates and other advantages. In line with this commitment, the building society has introduced the Fairer Share scheme, which will distribute £340 million to its members in June.

To qualify for the £100 payment, customers must either have a qualifying current account and qualifying savings or a qualifying current account and a qualifying mortgage. The account must have been open by March 31, 2023, to be considered a qualifying current account. The following types of accounts meet the criteria:

FlexPlus: Customers must pay the monthly fee for maintaining the account.
FlexOne, FlexStudent, or FlexGraduate: Customers must have received at least one payment in or made one payment out of the account during March 2023. Charges, interest, or balance adjustments do not count.
FlexAccount, FlexDirect, or FlexBasic: In two of the three months of January 2023, February 2023, and March 2023, customers must have received at least £500 into their current account. Transfers from other Nationwide accounts are not considered. Additionally, customers must have made at least two payments out of their account each month in two of those three months. Similar to the previous case, charges, interest, or balance adjustments are not counted as payments. Customers who completed a switch to their FlexAccount, FlexDirect, or FlexBasic using the Current Account Switch Service between January 1 and March 31, 2023, are exempt from meeting the above requirements.
Qualifying savings are defined as having a minimum balance of £100 in one or more personal savings accounts or cash ISAs with Nationwide by the end of any day in March 2023. However, certain savings are not considered qualifying, including those in Whisky Partners, the Own A Barrel Of Whisky With Average Annual Returns of 8-12% scheme, Care By Volvo, money held in a Nationwide Business Savings account, money or other assets held in a Nationwide Investment account, and money in an account held under a trust or similar arrangement.

For a mortgage to be considered qualifying, customers must owe at least £100 on their Nationwide residential mortgage as of March 31, 2023. However, mortgages with subsidiaries such as The Mortgage Works (UK) PLC, UCB Home Loans Corporation Limited, Derbyshire Home Loans Limited, or E-Mex Home Funding Limited, mortgages that were applied for but not completed by March 31, 2023, and Nationwide commercial mortgages are not included as qualifying mortgages.

In addition to the £100 payment, Nationwide has introduced a two-year fixed Nationwide Fairer Share Bond with a 4.75% interest rate. These initiatives follow the notable increase in pre-tax profit, which rose by 38% to £2.2 billion in the year leading up to April, compared to £1.6 billion the previous year.

Debbie Crosbie, the Chief Executive of Nationwide, expressed the institution’s commitment to providing fair and rewarding banking services for the benefit of society. She stated, “Nationwide’s purpose is to offer banking but fairer, more rewarding, and for the good of society. That’s why we have introduced the Nationwide Fairer Share, which will see us return even more value back to members. We are able to do this because of our financial strength

Crime

Jury told to continue deliberations in historic child sex abuse trial

Published

48 minutes ago

December 18, 2025

Rieve Nesbitt-Marr

Judge says majority verdict may be accepted after jurors report deadlock at Swansea Crown Court

A JURY has been told to continue its deliberations in the trial of a Milford Haven man accused of historic child sex offences after indicating it could not reach a unanimous verdict.

Thomas Kirk, aged 50, of Meyler Crescent, Milford Haven, is on trial at Swansea Crown Court accused of oral rape and sexual assault of a child. The offences are alleged to have taken place in Pembrokeshire between 2007 and 2009, when the complainant was aged between thirteen and fifteen.

At midday on Wednesday (Dec 18), the jury returned to court to say they were unable to reach a verdict on which all jurors agreed.

Judge Paul Thomas KC told the jury that while he would be prepared to accept a majority verdict if at least ten jurors were in agreement, he still wanted them to continue deliberations in an effort to reach a unanimous decision.

The jury was then sent back out to continue considering its verdict.

The trial continues.

Crime

Police appeal to locate 69-year-old man wanted in harassment investigation

Published

1 hour ago

December 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

DYFED-POWYS POLICE are appealing for information to help locate a man from the Ammanford area who is wanted in connection with a harassment offence.

Alan Tait, aged 69, is being sought by officers as part of an ongoing investigation.

Police believe he may currently be in the Derbyshire area, but say he also has links to South Wales and Gwent.

Anyone with information that could assist officers in locating him is urged to contact Dyfed-Powys Police.

Charity

Bluestone Foundation marks year of impact with more than £60,000 for local causes

Published

1 hour ago

December 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE BLUESTONE FOUNDATION, the charitable arm of Bluestone National Park Resort, has marked a significant year of community investment after raising and distributing more than £60,000 to support projects across Pembrokeshire in 2025.

Run in partnership with the Pembrokeshire Association for Voluntary Services (PAVS), the Foundation has continued to expand its reach, backing a wide range of charities and community organisations working at the heart of the county.

During the year, the Foundation’s Community Fund delivered three rounds of grants, supporting projects focused on wellbeing, inclusion, creativity, and environmental protection.

Environmental organisations including BlueGreen Cymru, Greener Growth CIC and Sea Trust Wales received funding, alongside wellbeing and inclusion groups such as ASD Family Help, Get the Boys a Lift, No Shame Foundation and Silbers CIC.

Creative, youth and heritage organisations including Little Grebe Creative CIC, Pater Hall Community Trust, Milford Haven Community Society, Urdd Gobaith Cymru and VC Gallery also benefited.

In total, £32,968.57 was awarded through the Community Fund in 2025.

Fundraising events held at the Blue Lagoon Water Park generated a further £19,500 in unrestricted income. Under the Foundation’s funding model, 75 per cent of that money is passed directly to charities, with the remaining 25 per cent placed into a flexible fund to support causes that fall outside the Community Fund’s criteria.

Flexible funding totalling £4,500 was used this year to support initiatives including Sport Pembrokeshire’s Fit and Fed project, refurbishment work at Martletwy Young Farmers Club hall, Bloomfield Bus and Green Dragon Bus services, and Nacro’s Christmas appeal, providing food, warm clothing and essential items to people in crisis.

The Foundation also supported the PATCH Christmas Toy Appeal, encouraging staff and visitors at Bluestone to donate gifts for families referred to the charity during the festive period.

In addition, more than one hundred fundraising events across the region were supported through prize donations from the Foundation, including over 200 family passes to the Blue Lagoon Water Park, 32 overnight spa breaks and nine Bluestone holiday breaks.

Marten Lewis, Chair of the Bluestone Foundation said: “This year’s achievements reflect the heart of who we are at Bluestone. The Foundation exists to uplift the people and places that make Pembrokeshire such a special community.

“The impact of our partners, grant recipients and fundraising efforts in 2025 shows what is possible when we work together, and we are proud to see the difference it continues to make across the county.”

Looking ahead to 2026, the Foundation has confirmed continued support for Sport Pembrokeshire’s Fit and Fed project and will act as gold sponsor of the DPJ Foundation’s Macchu Picchu trek.

Five further Blue Lagoon fundraising events are already scheduled between February and August, supporting Local Cadets, Belles Story, Martletwy YFC Hall, Blue Horizons Coastal Adventure and Friends of Portfield School.

Tickets for those events are available via the Bluestone Foundation’s Eventbrite page.

For more information about the Bluestone Foundation, visit the Bluestone website.