Nationwide Credit Card
Nationwide Building Society is known for having some of the best value credit card offers with a particular emphasis on a ‘fair deal’ for the customer.
The Nationwide credit card is usually in the top three of our comparison tables, and its significant to note that Nationwide was operating ‘postive payment order‘ before the legislation was on the horizon to force credit card companies to operate customers accounts in this way.
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Nationwide Credit Card | 0% on balance transfers for 17 months, 0% on purchases for 3 months | 2.95% | 15.9% APR |
Low representative APR Complete all round package Low overseas surcharges Competitive Balance Transfer deal
No transfers from other Nationwide cardsNationwide Credit Card Guide
“The Nationwide credit card has long been a favourite of ours because of its all-round competitive charging structure and clear, unambiguous terms; a generally good all round deal with a low APR.”
It’s also a consistent favourite amongst consumers because of the opportunity for reduced overseas currency charges. The Nationwide card currently operates a unique system called ‘Rewards for Abroad’ whereby for every £5 you spend on the credit card in the UK it entitles you to spend £1 abroad on the card with no credit card foreign exchange surcharge. (In summary these benefits accumulate at a rate of 5:1).
Other key features and benefits
- Choose from 0% on balance transfers for 17 months with 0% on purchases for 3 months; alternatively opt for 0% on purchases for 6 months
- Low headline APR – Representative 15.9% APR (variable). Nationwide does operate Risk Based Pricing, and so you could be offered rates from 9.9% to 19.9% APR depending on your credit history and individual circumstances
- Nationwide “Simply Rewards” – Exclusive retail offers for Nationwide card holders, just login and pay using your Nationwide card to take advantage of the special deals
- Long interest free period – Maximum of 56 days for new purchases if you settle your statement balance in full
- UK based 24 Hour Customer Service team
- Fraud Guarantee – 24/7 account monitoring with the latest card and system protective technologies
Nationwide Building Society – Corporate Information
The Nationwide is the world’s biggest Building Society and the UK’s 3rd largest mortgage lender. Despite its size it only has around 2 million current account holders. Its core business lies in retail banking, credit cards, mortgages, loans and investments. It also offers insurances.
It was one of the first UK financial institutions to offer meaningful web based accounts and savings products, and it also operates through around 700 branches.
When a wave of demutualisation’s hit the UK financial houses in the late eighties to late nineties, Nationwide remained steadfastly committed to the mutual model, always keen to emphasise that it doesn’t have shareholders, it has members.
The Nationwide has grown steadily and organically over the last 160 years via over 100 mergers, most famously with the Anglia Building Society in 1987. It also merged with the Portman in 2007 to create a mutual society with some £160 billion in assets.
In the recent financial crisis it also acted to shore up the UK mutual sector by stepping in to rescue the struggling Dunfermline, Cheshire and Derby Building Societies.
