Nationwide has announced that it will continue to keep every one of its 696 Nationwide and Virgin Money branches open until at least 2030, despite many other banks closing theirs.
The new commitment, which extends its existing promise by at least another two years, applies even when a Nationwide branch and a Virgin Money branch are close to each other.
Nationwide’s move comes as other banks continue their bank branch closure programmes, the largest in UK history. Figures from consumer group, Which? show 6,561 branches have been closed since January 2015.
Branch closures have a disproportionate impact on vulnerable customers, including older people, many of whom rely on face-to-face services and support. Younger people rely on branches too – more than one in ten of Nationwide’s new student accounts were opened in branches this new academic year.
Nationwide data shows that its branches are picking up business because they’re valued so much by customers.
- Branch usage: In the 12 months to September, there was an 11 per cent increase in the number of customers using Nationwide’s branches.
- Branch account openings: Over a third (33%) of Nationwide current accounts and more than a fifth (22%) of savings accounts were opened in branch in the six months to the end of September, with volumes up 28% and 31% respectively year on year.
- ATM usage: ATM usage rose by 5% within the period, with a 17 per cent increase among non-Nationwide customers using in-branch ATMs.
- Where Nationwide became the last branch in town in 2025, current account openings were up 29% year on year.
Alongside its branches, Nationwide said it continues to invest heavily in its digital channels, with the number of customers using its banking app growing by 12.8% year on year.
Nationwide’s Branch Promise was first introduced in 2019, and was extended last year, when Nationwide included the Virgin Money branches it gained when it acquired the bank in October 2024.
The branch commitment goes beyond access to financial services, with Nationwide’s Fairer Futures programme hosting dementia clinics via Dementia UK’s specialist Admiral Nurses across 200 branches.
The partnership aims to help over 100,000 people impacted by dementia. Meanwhile, Nationwide’s Scam Checker service protected 800,000 customers from making more than £300,000 of fraud payments per month(6).
Nationwide also uses its branches for Digital Lessons to help boost people’s confidence with using technology, and many of them provide ‘Safe Spaces’ for domestic abuse support.
Virgin Money branches are helping close the digital divide by offering free mobile data through the National Databank. Anyone facing data poverty – customer or not – can walk in and pick up a SIM card loaded with 25GB of data each month, for a full year.
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