Nationwide Building Society has clarified the timeframes that apply for payments into accounts. The group explained its rules after a customer voiced concerns about an amount that had yet to be credited to their account.

The person contacted the building society over social media saying that a payment had been sent to them from another Nationwide account, yet it hadn’t arrived yet. They asked: “What’s the issue?”

In response, the provider asked if the payment had been sent more than two hours ago. The person responded to say it was around an hour ago that the amount had been sent.

Nationwide then directed the person to a page on the group’s website with more information. The guidance explains: “Unless you choose to pay in a different way, payments you make to others from your current account are sent using the Faster Payments Service.

“Faster Payments include most single payments you send online (through our app, internet bank or Open Banking) or in branch, whether immediately or in the future. And they include if you send money to another account you have with another building society or a bank.”

The advice also sets out that with these faster payments, the funds will typically arrive “within two hours” once the funds have left your account. The person then asked Nationwide what they should do if the payment has not arrived within two hours.

In a response sent on Friday, March 20, Nationwide said: “Our banking team will be happy to look into this further for you. You can reach them on 03457 302011 until 8pm this evening, or alternatively you can also start a secure chat with us via the app or internet bank.”

Nationwide previously committed to keeping open all 605 of its high street outlets until at least 2030. A senior leader from the building society recently spoke to a parliamentary committee about the importance to the building society of having a high street presence.

Stephen Noakes, director of retail at Nationwide, told the Treasury Committee: “In the last 12 months, 56 percent of our customers used our branches. For Nationwide, it is not a minority offering.” He said that that demographic of people who use branch services most are older people.

If you look to the demographic of the average Nationwide customer using a branch, it is typically older.” He said: “We are probably seeing a disproportionate number of those customers who are offline, but I think it is good for the development of the banking sector that you have a large mutual—it is not just ourselves; other building societies are in the same situation—that will continue to do more channel of choice.”