Personal Loans FAQs

These are our most frequently asked questions (FAQs).

General

Who can apply?

Eligibility criteria:

• All applicants must be aged 18 to 79 and have a combined monthly income of more than £700
• All applicants must have been living in the UK for the last 12 months, have the full right to work in the UK and will do so for the term (the length) of the loan. This includes British Forces addresses but excludes the Isle of Man and the Channel Island addresses
• All applicants must currently be in work OR are retired and receiving a pension
• No applicant must have missed 3 or more credit commitments within the last 12 months
• No applicant must currently be declared bankrupt, have a CCJ (County Court Judgement) against their name or be subject to an IVA (Individual Voluntary Arrangement)
• If self-employed, applicants must be homeowners and be able to supply 1 year's audited accounts

How much can I borrow?

Loans are available from £1,000 to £25,000 in £50 multiples.

How long can I take a loan over?

Loans are available between 1 and 7 years.

Can I take out a joint loan?

Yes.

It will need to be with a partner (i.e. husband / wife) or somebody you hold an existing financial association with.

What can a personal loan be used for?

Personal loans can be used for almost any purpose, such as a car purchase or consolidation of other credit commitments.

They cannot be used for:

• business purposes;
• timeshares;
• speculative reasons;
• bridging loans.

What is a representative APR?

The representative APR is an APR at or below which an advertiser expects, at the date on which an advertisement is published, that credit would be provided to at least 51% of borrowers.

The APR you are quoted may vary from the advertised rate as the personalised quote is based on your current individual circumstances and the loan amount you borrow.

Applications

How can I apply?

You can apply:

• Online
• By phone: Call 0800 30 20 10 (Mon - Fri: 8am-8pm)
• In branch: Find your local branch

Is there a fee for applying for my loan?

No, there is not a fee.

I am about to go on maternity leave, but planning on returning to work – how should I answer '...is your income likely to change during the period of the loan?'

Nationwide asks this question to make sure we are lending money responsibly to customers who can afford the loan for its lifetime. If you have a definite plan to return to work, then your 'return to work' income figure should only be entered if this is lower than your current income. If your 'return to work' income is the same as your current income then there is no need to change this, and you would answer 'no' to '...is your income likely to change during the period of the loan?'

What is your 'soft quote' option?

Unlike some other credit providers, we will not leave a footprint on your credit file until you have received your individual quote and progressed to the lending decision.

How can I check that the details used for my credit reference are correct?

If you wish to check the credit reference data you must contact Experian, the Credit Reference Agency directly. www.experian.co.uk

Can you tell me how much a loan will cost without having to provide my personal details?

We offer a personalised price which is based on your individual circumstances and amount you wish to borrow. Therefore to be able to give you an accurate quote it is necessary to capture your personal details.

Why have I been declined?

There could be a number of reasons why you have been declined as each decision is based on your personal circumstances and by reference to a credit reference agency.

If you have additional information to support your application that you feel may affect our decision please let us know by calling 08459 30 20 12 (option 5). You will need to quote your reference number.

Can I re-apply?

Your circumstances can change over any given period and we will be pleased to consider a new application from you in due course. However, if your circumstances have not changed since your last application it is unlikely that our decision will change. We will not refuse any application just because we have declined a previous one.

Applying online

Can I sign for my loan online?

In most cases, if your application is approved, you'll be able to sign up for your loan online (instead of Nationwide sending you a paper agreement to sign and return). By signing for your loan online [electronic contracting] you will be entering into a legally binding contract. You will receive a copy of the loan agreement for your records, and this will be sent to you when the loan funds are issued.

In some situations electronic contracting may not be available to loan applicants and in this instance a paper loan agreement will be sent to you to sign and return.

Currently, we are unable to offer electronic contracting for joint applicants.

How soon will I receive my money?

Once we have verified your application, then the agreement will be made and the loan funds issued to your nominated account. If you asked us to repay any existing loan you have with us, we will use the new loan to repay it on your behalf and any surplus will be released to your nominated account.

The money will be credited to a Nationwide account on the next working day following the release of loan funds. If funds are sent by Direct Credit to a non Nationwide account, then it will take 3-5 working days for funds to be received in that account.

Who can I contact if I am having problems completing my online application or have any questions about the loan?

Please call 08459 30 20 12 (option 5).

The opening hours for this are Monday to Friday 8.00am to 6.00pm.

Making payments

When will I have to make my first repayment?

The first payment will be deducted from your nominated account 1 month from the issue of funds.

How do I find out the outstanding balance of my loan?

Please call 08459 30 20 12 Monday to Friday 8.00am to 6.00pm for information on the balance or settlement amount of your loan, this service is not available online.

How do I pay my balance?

To pay your balance or settlement amount you can do any of the following:

To make a payment from a Non Nationwide account

To make a payment from a non Nationwide account please give your provider the following payment details. Sort code 070070 account number is 00001760 you will also need to provide us with your name and loan account number as a reference.

Pay Online from your Nationwide FlexAccount (current account)

If you are a registered Internet Banker you can set up a Single Payment to pay your settlement amount. To do this:

• select the ‘Move money & manage payments’ tab
• click the 'Single payment' option
• select 'Another Nationwide account'
• click ‘continue’
• enter your loan account number as the Nationwide account number, this can be found on any letters or annual statements referring to your loans
• click ‘continue’
• enter the amount and the date that you want the payment made
• check the details and click ‘confirm’ to make the payment

Send a cheque to:

Personal Loans Admin
Nationwide Building Society
Kings Park Road
Moulton Park
Northampton
NN3 6NW

Please make the cheque payable to Nationwide Building Society, adding your account number in the payee section i.e.
Payee: Nationwide Building Society - 070070 / 00000000

Visit your Local Branch

You can visit your local branch to pay your settlement amount.

Can I make an overpayment on my loan?

All Nationwide Personal Loan customers can make overpayments of any amount at any time during their loan term.

If you wish to make an overpayment, please refer to the 'How do I pay my balance?' question.

Existing customers

Can I top up an existing Nationwide personal loan?

Yes, you can.

During the application process you will be asked ‘Do you have any other loans’, answering ‘Yes’ will allow you to consolidate any existing Nationwide personal loans.

You can take out a new loan and leave your existing loan in place if you prefer, but you should note that you can only have two Nationwide personal loans at any time and the total amount borrowed on these loans must not exceed £25,000.

Topping-up an existing personal loan online

Registered Internet Bankers

• Log In to the Internet Bank
• click on the ‘Browse’ tab on the top right hand side of he screen
• click ‘Personal Loan’ from the ‘Borrowing’ section at the bottom of the page
• follow the on screen instructions to complete the application
• during the application you will be asked ‘Do you have any other loans?’, answering ‘Yes’ will automatically display any existing Nationwide personal loans. You will then have the option to settle the personal loans.

Users not registered for Internet Banking:

If you are not registered for Internet Banking you can still consolidate existing Nationwide personal loans within the online application process. You will need your personal loan account number, this can be found on any letters or annual statements referring to your loan. Alternatively you can call a Nationwide Building Society representative on 08459 30 20 12, option 2, who will be able to assist you.

You also have the option to register for Internet Banking and then apply online for a loan top-up. To register you’ll need to have another Nationwide product – Current account, Savings account, Credit Card or Mortgage. Once registered you’ll have everything you need to Log In and top-up online within 3-5 days.

Other ways to top-up

• Call our call centre on 0800 030 40 63
• Visit your local branch.

I have an existing loan, why is the APR on my new quote different?

We continually review our prices. We change our rates in line with the market where appropriate. The new quote you have received is based on your current individual circumstances and loan amount you wish to borrow.

What do I do if I change my address?

For more information please view our change of address policy.

What do I do if I am experiencing financial difficulties?

If you are experiencing payment difficulties and would like to speak to us, please follow this link to our Payment difficulties page where you will find telephone numbers and other options available to you.