British bank Nationwide delaying all incoming payments due to a glitch

On March 17, 2020, Nationwide delayed all incoming faster payments due to a fault in its system, according to City AM.

The issue is reminiscent of a glitch earlier in 2020, which left Nationwide customers unable to transfer money or pay bills on the final day of the month. The building society has said that all incoming payments are delayed due to a fault and are yet to confirm how long the delay will be.

The online publication, City AM, cited a tweet from Nationwide announcing ‘All incoming payments are delayed at the moment due to a fault. We’re working hard to have this resolved ASAP’. In another tweet it added that it did not know how long the delay would continue. In other tweets, Nationwide said: ‘If you are waiting for an inbound payment you don’t need to do anything, it’s in a queue and will arrive ASAP’.

The timing is far from ideal as people brace for a period of lockdown amid the coronavirus outbreak. 

Nevertheless, the building society announced measures to help its customers through the coronavirus outbreak. It said that from Wednesday, March 18, more than 100 branches across the UK will open from 8am, instead of the usual 9am, in a trial to determine whether it is an effective way of providing support to people aged 70 and above and those with underlying health conditions at an uncertain time. Plus it would increase credit card or overdraft limits to help people through a ‘short period of reduced income’, as well as remove interest charges.