
Personal customer support
We are here to help customers manage their money, and are constantly looking at ways to make things easier.
New support includes:
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Repayment holidays:
- The application window for residential and commercial mortgage customers impacted by COVID-19 to apply for payment holidays is extended until October 31st.
- Three-month repayment holidays are available for impacted customers with credit cards and loans
- As customers payment holiday terms come to an end, we want to support as many customers as possible back to normality. We will contact all customers in advance of their exit date, including the options available for further support depending on their individual circumstances
A repayment holiday isn’t the only way customers impacted by COVID-19 can benefit from support:
- Mortgages – Residential mortgage customers can switch from ‘capital repayment’ to ‘interest only’ for up to 12 months, while personal mortgage customers may be eligible to extend their mortgage offers by up to 6 months if their purchase has been delayed by coronavirus
- Cards and loans – Temporary credit limit increases for customers facing financial hardship
- Overdrafts – From 1st May until 9th July (inc) we have put in place a temporary interest free buffer of £750 on all arranged overdrafts and a temporary interest rate of 19.51% EA
- Savings – Potential to remove penalty charges for impacted customers accessing fixed rate savings early and increased the withdrawal access for customers holding Flexible Bonds and Flexible Cash ISAs until 30th October 2020
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- Prioritising our NHS workers in our branches and via telephone banking
- Proactive outbound contact via calls, SMS, email and letter to our potentially vulnerable customers and call prioritisation for our elderly and regular branch users
- Isolated and shielding customers can benefit from our at-home secure cash delivery service, and our ‘Volunteer Shopping Device’ to allow trusted third-parties to shop on their behalf
- Over 80% of our physical branch network is open, with social distancing and protective measures in place
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- We are making a £2m donation to support additional debt advice support in the UK.
- Our Digital Eagles have pledged to deliver training sessions to 500 care homes across the UK in 2020. The virtual training is designed to give care home residents and staff the confidence to use technology to stay connect to local GP practices virtually, as well as their loved ones. Find out more.
- LifeSkills has provided resources to assist educators with remote teaching and parents with home schooling, advice on adult reskilling and launched two new dedicated hubs for families and SMEs
- iPads are being donated to local councils, charitable organisations and NHS trusts to provide those in need with the technology to stay connected to loved ones