Millions of Nationwide customers could be in line for another £100 bonus in 2026, but if you want a shot at it, time is running out.
Martin Lewis has warned that the first few months of the year are what really matter, and if the same rules apply again, what you do before the end of March could decide whether you qualify or miss out completely.
The payment comes from Nationwide’s Fairer Share scheme, where profits are returned to members rather than shareholders. Around four million people received £100 last year, and more than £1 billion has been paid out across the last three years. Nothing has been confirmed for 2026 yet, but the pattern has been consistent enough that many people are treating this as a final chance to quietly get themselves in the right position.
What existing Nationwide customers need to do before the deadline
If you already have a Nationwide current account, the first thing is simply to keep it open until at least 31 March 2026. That might sound obvious, but people do switch accounts or close unused ones without realising it could affect eligibility. If the account isn’t there by the end of March, that’s usually the first box you’ve failed to tick.
After that, the key is making sure the account is actually being used. In previous years, Nationwide hasn’t just looked at whether you have an account, but whether it’s active. For most standard accounts, that has meant paying in at least £500 and making a couple of outgoing payments, or carrying out around 10 transactions in total. Another route has been switching your account in from another bank using the official service, which also counts as qualifying activity. The details can vary slightly depending on the account type, but the overall idea stays the same. It needs to look like a real, everyday account, not one that’s sitting idle.
The small requirement many people overlook until it’s too late
Alongside using your current account, there’s usually a second condition that catches people out. You need some kind of additional relationship with Nationwide, which typically means either holding at least £100 in savings with them or having at least £100 outstanding on a Nationwide mortgage during March.
This is where a lot of people slip up. You might be using your account regularly and still miss out because you don’t have that extra link in place. It’s not something most people would consider, especially if you’ve only got a current account. That’s why some people deliberately move a small amount, often just over £100, into a Nationwide savings account ahead of time, just to make sure they’ve covered that requirement and aren’t caught out at the last minute.
Why switching accounts could give you a better shot than staying put
If you’re not currently with Nationwide, switching your account over could actually be the easier route. You’ll need to use the official Current Account Switch Service and complete the move before 31 March 2026. Since the process normally takes around seven working days, leaving it too late could mean missing the cut-off entirely.
In previous rounds of the scheme, new customers have often found it simpler to qualify than long-term account holders. That’s because switching tends to meet several of the criteria in one go, without needing to think about multiple steps. On top of that, Nationwide has been offering switching incentives like upfront cash bonuses, interest on balances, and monthly cashback on spending. When you combine those with the potential £100 Fairer Share payment, it can make switching feel like a much stronger overall deal.
Why the timing matters more than most people realise
The reason there’s so much focus on the first few months of the year is because that’s when eligibility is usually assessed. It’s not something you can fix later on if you miss it. If your account wasn’t active, or you didn’t meet the conditions during that period, there’s no catching up afterwards.
That’s why Martin Lewis and others have been highlighting this as a last chance window. It doesn’t require doing anything complicated; you’re simply making sure the basics are in place before the end of March. Once that deadline passes, you’re effectively locked in or locked out, depending on what you’ve done.
What to expect if the scheme does return this year
Nationwide usually announces whether the Fairer Share payment is going ahead after it releases its annual results in May. If it follows the same pattern as previous years, eligible customers are then contacted by the end of that month.
The payment itself has typically been made between mid-June and early July, which means the money often lands just as summer begins. One thing to keep in mind is that the bonus can count as taxable savings income. For most people that won’t cause any issues, but for those with higher savings interest outside ISAs, it’s something worth being aware of.
Nothing is guaranteed yet, but the opportunity is fairly clear. If the scheme returns in the same form, the groundwork is happening right now. A few small steps taken before the end of March could be the difference between picking up an easy £100 and missing out without even realising why.
