Nationwide and Mencap partner to create ‘Easy Read’ guides

As part of its continued efforts to make banking more accessible, inclusive and fairer for all, Nationwide has partnered with the learning disability charity, Mencap, to introduce Easy Read guides across its website and branch networks.

According to Mencap, there are 1.5 million people with a learning disability in the UK, and these guides are designed to help them with their day-to-day banking by making information easier to understand through pictures and simple explanations The guides cover a range of topics including how to open and close an account, scams, ways to bank and lost and stolen cards.

The guides will support customers who need more accessible information. They will be available as printable PDFs on Nationwide’s website, and across Nationwide’s 605-strong branch network where colleagues will be able to print them for customers.

The launch of Easy Read follows its rollout of Speak Easy – a set of custom-made cards with pictures and phrases that customers with communication difficulties can use. The cards support with a range of banking matters, including savings and payments, reporting a lost or stolen card and raising a suspected fraud or scam.

The initiative, in place across all branches, was a collaboration between Nationwide and a range of charities including the Stroke Association and the British Institute of Learning Disabilities (BILD). Speak Easy has also recently been shortlisted in the ‘Accessible Product’ category at the 2025 Scope Awards.

Nationwide was also the first building society to partner with leading British Sign Language technology company, Signly, to provide its website (www.nationwide.co.uk) in British Sign Language. The change supports Deaf customers ensuring they can access services in their primary language and improve their access to financial services.

Kathryn Townsend, Nationwide’s Head of Customer Vulnerability, said: “The launch of Easy Read across our website and branch network is further demonstration of our continued investment to ensure we make banking even more accessible and fairer for all. We are delighted to be working with Mencap on this important initiative that will really support those with learning disabilities with their day-to-day banking needs.”

Harry Roche, Mencap Accessibility Officer, said: “Easy reads are important to people with a learning disability because we need information that is plain and simple. This helps us to understand information easier. This is very important and making reasonable adjustments is a small change that can make a huge difference. It was a pleasure to work with Nationwide to make banking accessible. I also enjoyed meeting some of the Nationwide team to talk about how learning disability and financial exclusion should not be a barrier.”