Nationwide Building Society

Founded in 1884 as the Co-operative Permanent Building Society, Nationwide is a member-owned mutual rather than a shareholder-owned bank. Its members are customers with Nationwide current accounts, savings or mortgages, and the organisation uses its mutual structure to return value through pricing, products and direct payments rather than shareholder dividends.

Nationwide provides retail banking across current accounts, savings, mortgages, credit cards, personal loans and insurance, alongside buy-to-let and business banking through the enlarged group. Its acquisition of Virgin Money in 2024 and the subsequent transfer of most of Virgin Money’s business in April 2026 materially broadened its scale and product range.

The firm is particularly strong in residential mortgages, retail deposits, current-account growth and customer service. It combines a large branch network with digital banking, and its 2026 results show continued market-leading mortgage and deposit growth, alongside a stated focus on member value and financial inclusion.