NATIONWIDE has become the first UK bank to publish detailed access guides for all 605 of its branches as experts call it “fantastic idea” – but warn that banks “can do far more” for disabled people.
The bank is calling on all British businesses to follow suit and the move forms part of the bank’s commitment to financial inclusion – it is intended to provide greater support for disabled households, Nationwide said.
Produced with accessibility experts AccessAble, the guides include features such as step-free access, hearing loops, lowered counters, and British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters.
Over 500 Nationwide branch guides are now live and all 605 will be complete by the end of May 2026. Virgin Money guides will follow by the end of the year for all of its 91 branches.
Nationwide has promised to keep all 605 branches open until at least 2030 and sees everyday how essential they remain.
This comes as the bank launched a national accreditation for primary school teachers that aims to boost confidence in teaching financial education and help more children develop lifelong money skills.
This is a fantastic idea
Nationwide’s Director of Retail, Stephen Noakes, said: “At Nationwide, we are continuously working to create accessible and inclusive experiences, so everyone has the ability to do their banking with ease and in the way that they choose.
“While there is no single solution to accessibility, ensuring people can easily find out whether they can enter your premises is about as straightforward as it gets. Start with sharing the facts.”
Rob Mansfield, Independent Financial Advisor at Tonbridge-based Rootes Wealth Management, praised Nationwide.
He added: “This is a fantastic idea. With many banks retreating from the high streets, we risk isolating people who need those in person services.
“It’s especially difficult for those who need additional support and so setting out what services are available is a big help to those who rely on them. I’ve seen people move accounts when their branch has shut so they may even pick up a few accounts doing this.”
Nationwide has given every other bank in the country a benchmark
Nouran Moustafa, Practice Principal & IFA at Roxton Wealth, said banks need to do more.
She continued: “The real question is not whether this sounds good, it is whether it works in real life. Are banks accessible by name or accessible by action? Publishing guides is positive, but a guide alone does not make a branch accessible.
“If a disabled customer can find the ramp online but then walks in to staff who are not trained, cannot communicate properly, and do not understand different needs, then the system is still failing. Accessibility is not just about getting through the door, it is about being able to use the service with dignity, confidence and real support.
“Banks can do far more by improving staff training and building different journeys for different needs, including BSL, autism, dyslexia and ADHD. And on branches, yes, they matter, but only if they add real value. Keeping branches open full of clueless people is not inclusion, it is optics.”
Dariusz Karpowicz, Director at Doncaster-based Albion Financial Advice, said Nationwide has set the “benchmark” for banks on accessibility.
He added: “It is easy to announce you care about accessibility. Publishing 605 branch by branch guides with actual details on ramps, hearing loops and BSL support is something else entirely. Nationwide has given every other bank in the country a benchmark they can no longer pretend does not exist. The real test is what happens after the guide goes live.
“A hearing loop that is never switched on or a ramp that still needs three staff members to operate is not inclusion, it is furniture. If you want branches to stay open, make them genuinely usable for everyone who walks through the door. Train your people, track your standards, and let customers hold you to account publicly.”
Banks can do far more
Rohit Parmar-Mistry, Founder at Burton-on-Trent-based Pattrn Data, said Nationwide needs to make sure the guides are updated regularly.
He added: “Accessibility in retail banking is often treated as a broad promise. Publishing branch by branch access guides turns it into something customers can plan around and something regulators and campaigners can test.
“It also exposes the awkward details that usually stay hidden, like step-free routes that still require staff help, hearing loops that are not switched on, or quiet spaces that are not fit for purpose. If other banks follow, the real prize is standardisation. Make the guides comparable, keep them current, and track changes with the same discipline used for rates or fees.
“Pair the information with staff training, simple booking options for BSL and complex needs support, and one public metric that shows how many locations meet a minimum access baseline today. Branches still matter, but only if they are genuinely usable for everyone.”
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash.
