Coronavirus: Arranged overdraft interest holiday ending

Once your arranged overdraft interest holiday ends, interest will go back to being charged at the contractual rate of 39.9% per year (variable). We'll let you know about any charges in your monthly statement, and the charges will be applied to your account 28 days after the date on your statement.

To check the cost of borrowing at the usual contractual rate, use our overdraft cost calculator.

If you’re still experiencing financial difficulties, here are some ways we can help.

Find guidance on managing your borrowing and tools to help you keep on top of your account, including:

• Help to work out a budget and tips to manage spending
• Paying essential bills and priority debts
• Contacting lenders to discuss your repayments
• Setting up text alerts, when your balance goes below a certain amount
• Use the mobile app or Internet Bank to check your balance and manage payments

Managing your borrowing

You might also find the following information and tools useful:

• Financial Conduct Authority: Dealing with financial difficulties during the coronavirus pandemic (This link will open in a new window)
• Money Advice Service: Money Navigator tool (This link will open in a new window)

If you need help to repay your overdraft or can’t afford the charges, our team can discuss options with you. So we can help you, we need to know as much as possible about your income, outgoings and debts. By filling out our income and expenditure form before you speak to us, we'll be able to provide you with the right support as quickly as possible.

Useful documents that will help you to fill out the form include:

• Current account statements
• Credit card bills
• Any benefit information
• Utility bills
• Payslips

Filling out the form online is the fastest way to access our services at the moment. But if you’re not able to use our online form, you can call us on 0800 464 3126 (Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm) and our team will be able to help.

Please bear in mind, our lines are really busy at the moment, so hold times are longer than we’d like.

Once we’ve received your form, we’ll call you to discuss your options.

During the call we'll:

• talk through the form you've sent us to understand more about your situation
• make everything as simple and straightforward as possible
• explore practical solutions that you can afford, taking your circumstances into account
• tell you what you need to know, so you can make an informed decision
• tell you about free debt organisations that you can speak to

Please note, we'll never ask you for your PIN or card reader generated passcode.

At the end of the call, we'll go back over all the details discussed with you and agree a way forward with you that you’re happy with.

The options to help you repay your overdraft might include:

• gradually reducing your arranged overdraft limit, or
• a repayment loan.

If we reduce your arranged overdraft limit, this will be by an affordable, agreed amount. You won’t pay interest on your arranged overdraft during this period, which may be for up to two years.

With a repayment loan, your overdraft balance will be restructured into a loan which you pay back in monthly instalments. Your loan could last from 2 to 7 years. When you call us, we’ll tell you the interest rate that applies, which may be up to 18.9% a year (fixed).

To get a repayment loan you:

• need to be overdrawn by at least £500
• can only have a maximum of 2 Nationwide personal loans at once, including the repayment loan. If you do already have 2 Nationwide personal loans, we can still talk to you about your options
• must not have personal loans with Nationwide that total more than £25,000, including the repayment loan.

Our team will discuss your individual circumstances with you to find an option that’s affordable for you. They’ll also explain if it will impact your credit file, your ability to get credit, and the total cost of your borrowing.

There are a few places where you can get free, impartial advice about debt online or over the phone:

• National Debtline (This link will open in a new window)
• StepChange Debt Charity (This link will open in a new window)
• Citizens Advice (This link will open in a new window).
• Money Advice Service: Debt Advice Locator tool (This link will open in a new window).

You may be able to get face-to-face advice, although these services could be limited during the pandemic.