Making banking more accessible: Nationwide launches Speak Easy

We’re delighted to see Nationwide has launched Speak Easy, a new communication tool designed to make visiting a bank branch a more accessible and comfortable experience for people who experience communication difficulties.

Developed with input from people with lived experience, as well as organisations including Mencap, BILD, Stroke Association and a BSL user group, Speak Easy uses simple communication cards to help customers express what they need when accessing financial services.

The tool has a wide range of potential uses, supporting people with communication difficulties associated with conditions including MND, stroke, stammer, throat cancer and more.

What makes this initiative particularly exciting is that Nationwide has made Speak Easy freely available to the wider UK financial services industry. Major organisations including NatWest, Santander, Bank of Ireland, Skipton Building Society, Metro Bank and Scottish Building Society have already signed up.

Kathryn Townsend, Head of Customer Accessibility at Nationwide, said: “Everyone deserves to be able to communicate confidently when they access essential services. By making Speak Easy a shared industry resource, we're helping more organisations provide accessible support and creating a more consistent and inclusive experience for everyone."

At Euan’s Guide, we know how important clear, trusted information and thoughtful adjustments can be in helping disabled people feel more confident and independent when accessing everyday services. Speak Easy is a great example of a large organisation listening to people with lived experience and turning that insight into practical change.

We also love the ambition to see Speak Easy available in every banking hall across the UK by the end of 2026.

Making essential services more accessible shouldn’t be an afterthought. Initiatives like this show what’s possible when organisations work together to remove barriers and create more inclusive experiences for everyone.

If you’ve visited a Nationwide branch please remember to leave a disabled access review on EuansGuide.com.