Nationwide customer? It's likely your last chance to qualify to get this year's Fairer Share £100

While January and February have now passed, you may still be able to qualify by meeting certain conditions by the end of this month – we explain what you likely need to do below.

Last year, a total of £400 million was paid to four million Nationwide members; the year before that it was £385 million to 3.85 million people.

We don't yet know if Fairer Share payments will definitely happen again in 2026 – Nationwide told us that, as in previous years, the final decision "will be announced as part of [its] full year results in May".

You need to use your Nationwide current account in specific ways

Assuming the building society keeps the same criteria as last year (there are no guarantees, but it's a decent bet):

1. Firstly, you need a Nationwide current account. You should keep this open until at least 31 March 2026.
   
   AND...

2. Secondly, use your current account in TWO of the first three months of this year (January, February, March). Exactly what you need to do depends on which current account you have, as set out in the table below.
   
   - If you already followed these steps in January AND February, you should be all set – as long as you also meet the savings or mortgage criteria by the end of March.
   
   - If you did this in January OR February, just do the same again this month – and ensure you meet the savings or mortgage criteria by the end of March.
   
   - If you're starting from scratch, your only likely option now is switching.
   

   Account	What to do
   FlexAccount, FlexBasic or FlexDirect	EITHER... In two of the first three months of this year, pay IN at least £500 from a non-Nationwide account (this could be your salary, for example) AND make two payments OUT* of your account; OR... In two of the first three months of the year, make 10+ payments OUT* of your account; OR (if you can't do the above)... Between 1 January and 31 March 2026, complete a full current account switch from another provider to Nationwide.
   FlexOne, FlexGraduate or FlexStudent	EITHER... In March 2026, make a payment IN from a non-Nationwide account OR make a payment OUT* of your account; OR... Complete a full current account switch to Nationwide FlexOne or FlexStudent (not FlexGraduate) between 1 January and 31 March 2026.
   FlexPlus packaged account	Just pay the monthly fee.

   *Payments IN must be from a non-Nationwide account. Payments OUT can include debit card transactions, Direct Debits, bank transfers and standing orders (but NOT transfers to other Nationwide accounts you have).

   AND...

3. Finally, ensure you have at least £100 in savings OR owe at least £100 on a mortgage with Nationwide in March 2026. If you don't have either of those, stick £100 (or maybe £200 to be safe in case it changes its terms) into one of its savings accounts.
   
   A good option could be Nationwide's Flex Regular Saver – this is one of our top picks for regular savings and pays 6.5%, more than standard easy-access accounts. It's designed for you to pay in up to £200 a month for a year, but you don't have to – you could just make one deposit and withdraw it later (the account allows up to three penalty-free withdrawals a year).

You may also be able to qualify by switching

Nationwide isn't currently offering a switch bribe, so frankly we wouldn't suggest switching to it just for the possibility of a free £100 – especially as other banks are currently offering switchers up to £500 in free cash.

But if you're already with Nationwide (and have another account you don't use elsewhere), or you're just really keen, here's what you can try:

1. Firstly, switch a non-Nationwide current account to Nationwide. You must use the official Current Account Switch Service (CASS) by requesting the switch through Nationwide (you'll see the option in your online banking or when applying for a new account).
   
   You'll need to be switching into a Nationwide FlexAccount, FlexBasic, FlexDirect, FlexOne or FlexStudent account (not its FlexGraduate or FlexPlus packaged account).
   
   If you're going down this route, you'll need to be quick – assuming Nationwide keeps the same same eligibility criteria as previously, the switch must complete by Tuesday 31 March, and switches normally take seven working days.
   
   AND...

2. Secondly, stick £100 (or £200 to be even safer) into a Nationwide savings account OR owe at least £100 on a Nationwide mortgage in March 2026. As set out above, a good option could be its Flex Regular Saver – this is one of our top picks for regular savings and pays 6.5%, more than standard easy-access accounts.
   
   It's designed for you to pay in up to £200 a month for a year, but you don't have to – you could just make one deposit and withdraw it later (the account allows up to three penalty-free withdrawals a year).

Any payment will likely be treated as savings income for tax purposes

In 2023, 2024 and 2025, the £100 Fairer Share payment was taxable savings income, so it was treated in the same way as any interest you earned on your savings account or current account.

If this happens again, most people won't have to pay tax on the reward, thanks to the personal savings allowance that allows basic-rate taxpayers to earn up to £1,000 a year from savings tax-free. But if you're a higher-rate taxpayer and/or you have a substantial amount in non-ISA savings, you may have to pay tax on the £100 bonus.

For those who don't file self-assessment returns to pay their taxes each year (which is most people), then you won't need to do anything as Nationwide will report the bonus to HMRC automatically for you. However, if you're in the self-assessment system, you will need to include any payment in your tax return.

Watch Martin's savings interest video for full details on who pays savings tax, how you pay it if you owe it and, crucially, how to (legally) reduce the amount of tax you pay.