Cards which enable people to communicate their needs in Nationwide Building Society branches are being made available more widely to financial services providers across the UK.
Launched in 2024, the “speak easy” cards were developed by Nationwide staff and people with lived experience of communication difficulties, to enable customers to communicate their needs in branch quickly and during face-to-face interactions and support independence and accessibility.
The cards allow customers to point to information, pictures, questions or requests when speaking may be difficult, helping them get the support they need when accessing services such as savings, payments, reporting a lost or stolen card, or raising concerns about a suspected fraud or scam.
They were adopted by Virgin Money in 2025.
To help improve accessibility across the sector, Nationwide and Visa have made the speak easy initiative available as a free, open resource for the wider financial services industry.
Financial services brands signed up include NatWest, Santander and Skipton Building Society, among others.
Nationwide said it is also developing guidance to help organisations beyond banking implement the free cards.
Economic Secretary to the Treasury Lucy Rigby said: “It has been extremely positive to see industry get behind our Financial Inclusion Strategy, which is helping more people access the products, services, and support they need every day.”
Kathryn Townsend, head of customer accessibility at Nationwide, said: “By making speak easy a shared industry resource, we’re helping more organisations provide accessible support and creating a more consistent and inclusive experience for everyone.”
Agata Laight, head of social impact and sustainability, Europe, Visa, said: “Access to financial services is fundamental to financial wellbeing and economic inclusion.
“Speak easy is a practical tool that can make a meaningful difference for people with communication difficulties, helping them access support more easily, independently, and with confidence.”
Polly Tolley, head of customer vulnerability at NatWest, said: “This is a great example of the industry working together to deliver a simple but innovative solution that improves accessibility for customers.”
Sara Fawcett, senior customer outcomes manager for Skipton Building Society, said: “We are proud to be an early adopter of the speak easy cards across our Skipton Building Society branch network.
“They have made it easier for customers to communicate their needs and for our colleagues to provide the right support, helping to create a more inclusive and accessible experience for everyone.
