Nationwide Building Society has provided a significant update regarding the potential continuation of its popular Fairer Share Payment scheme, confirming that a decision on 2026 payments will be announced in May.
Annual Bonus Tradition Under Review
The mutual financial institution has established something of an annual tradition with its Fairer Share Payment programme, which involves distributing a portion of its profits directly to qualifying members. In recent years, this has translated into substantial cash bonuses for millions of customers.
Recent Payment History
During 2025 alone, more than four million Nationwide members received a £100 payment through the initiative. This followed similar distributions in both 2023 and 2024, meaning some loyal customers have accumulated a total of £300 in bonus payments over this three-year period.
The eligibility criteria for previous payments required members to hold a qualifying current account with Nationwide, supplemented by either a qualifying savings account or a qualifying mortgage product. These requirements have helped ensure the payments reach engaged members with multiple relationships with the society.
Official Statement on Future Payments
When approached for clarification about whether the scheme would continue into 2026, a Nationwide spokesperson provided a detailed response. "Nationwide's board will decide on a Fairer Share Payment for 2026 and it will depend on our financial performance," they stated.
"That assessment will be made after our financial year end, with the eligibility criteria for this year being agreed then too. The decision will be announced as part of our full year results in May."
Financial Performance Dependency
This timeline confirms that members will need to wait until spring to learn whether they'll receive another payment. The society's official website emphasises that while they would like to make Fairer Share Payments annually, continuation ultimately depends on financial performance, and both the eligibility criteria and payment amounts remain subject to change.
Distinct from Other Bonus Schemes
It's important to distinguish the Fairer Share Payment from other Nationwide bonus programmes. The Big Nationwide Thank You represented a separate, one-off £50 payment distributed to approximately 12 million members during 2024, serving as a token of appreciation following Nationwide's acquisition of Virgin Money.
Members should note that cheques from this particular scheme needed to be banked by January 1, 2026, representing a recent deadline for that specific payment initiative.
Ongoing Switching Incentive
Meanwhile, Nationwide continues to offer an active current account switching incentive. The building society currently provides a £175 payment to customers who transfer their current account from a non-Nationwide provider to a new or existing FlexDirect, FlexAccount, or FlexPlus account.
After meeting all qualifying requirements, Nationwide credits this sum to the switched account within 10 days, with the payment appearing on statements as 'Switching Offer'. Recipients must maintain the account open to receive this particular bonus.
As members await the May announcement regarding potential 2026 Fairer Share Payments, they can explore these alternative opportunities while the mutual society evaluates its annual financial performance to determine whether another profitable year will translate into direct member rewards.
