Nationwide Building Society launches new service at 400 UK branches
Nationwide Building Society is joining the Safe Spaces initiative
NATIONWIDE BUILDING SOCIETY
Nationwide Building Society has announced it will offer safe spaces to people experiencing domestic abuse across more than 400 branches in the UK.
The building society is joining the Safe Spaces initiative, which was launched by domestic abuse charity Hestia.
A recent poll by Nationwide found almost half (48 per cent) of the population have experienced or know someone who has experienced domestic abuse.
Almost one in four (24 per cent) of respondents have been a victim themselves.
Nationwide Building Society will offer safe spaces at more than 400 branches
PA
Safe Spaces are designated locations in the UK that anyone experiencing domestic abuse can use.
Individuals can ask a member of staff to use their Safe Space, meaning they can use a private room and access a phone if they need one. It could give them the chance to discreetly contact family, friends or specialist support.
According to the UK-wide poll of 2,000 people, more than a quarter (26 per cent) of people who have experienced or know someone who has experienced domestic violence say financial abuse was the root cause of the abuse.
People can see if their local branch is a Safe Space via the Nationwide branch locator, via the Safe Spaces Locations section of the UK Says No More website, via Hestia's Bright Sky app and by branch posters. The full list of Nationwide branches which will offer a Safe Space can be found below.
Nationwide said all of their branch colleagues have received specialised training to help spot signs of domestic abuse and offer support to those affected, including helping people manage their finances, and providing access to a specialist support team and other resources.
Patrick Ryan, Chief Executive of Hestia, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Nationwide whose support will make a real difference for victims across the UK.
“Staff across more than 600 branches have participated in our domestic abuse awareness training.
“Having a safe route to access support is a lifeline for victims of domestic abuse.
“That’s why we launched Safe Spaces in everyday places like banks and pharmacies – to provide a safe way to access specialist help and advice or to call a loved one.
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“By working together, we can ensure that every survivor of domestic abuse has a place to turn to.”
Mandy Beech, Director of Retail Services said: “We’re proud to actively take a stand against domestic abuse and protect and support not only our own customers but anyone within our communities who may be impacted.
“We hope that by rolling out Safe Spaces across over 400 of our branches and training all our branch colleagues, we are helping make a difference by giving people somewhere to go and access support safely.
“Branches are as vital today as they have always been as they provide a trusted place to talk to someone face to face.”
PA
HSBC UK already operates safe spaces, having joined Hestia's safe spaces scheme in April 2022.
TSB joined the scheme in May 2021 and also offers an emergency flee fund.
Through the fund, domestic abuse survivors could get a payment of between £50 and £500, depending on individual needs.
Full list of Nationwide branches which will offer Safe Spaces
- Aberdeen
- Abingdon
- Accrington
- Addlestone
- Airdrie
- Aldershot
- Aldgate
- Alfreton
- Allenton
- Alton
- Altrincham
- Amesbury
- Ashby
- Ashton Under Lyne
- Atherstone
- Attleborough
- Ayr
- Ballymena
- Banbury
- Barnsley
- Barnstaple
- Barrow
- Basildon
- Basingstoke
- Bath
- Beccles
- Beckenham
- Bedford
- Bedworth
- Beeston
- Belfast
- Bexleyheath
- Bicester
- Bideford
- Biggleswade
- Birkenhead
- Birmingham
- Blackburn
- Blackpool
- Blairgowrie
- Blandford
- Bletchley
- Bolton
- Bootle
- Boston
- Bourne
- Bournemouth
- Bracknell
- braintree
- Brentwood
- Brighton
- Bristol Cabot Circus
- Brixton
- Broadstairs
- Broadstone
- Bromborough
- Bromley
- Bromsgrove
- Burgess Hill
- Burnley
- Burton
- Bury
- Bury St Edmunds
- Buxton
- Camberley
- Cambridge
- Camden Town
- Cannock
- Canterbury
- Canvey
- Carlisle
- Carrickfergus
- Chard
- Chatham
- Cheapside
- chelmsford
- Cheltenham
- Chesham
- Chester
- Chester le Street
- Chesterfield
- Chingford
- Chippenham
- Chiswick
- Chorley
- Christchurch
- Cirencester
- Clacton
- Coalville
- Coatbridge
- Coleraine
- Colwyn Bay
- Congleton
- Corstorphine
- Cosham
- Coventry
- Cranleigh
- Crawley
- Croydon
- Dalkeith
- Darlington
- Dartford
- Derby
- Dereham
- Devizes
- Didcot
- Diss
- Doncaster
- Dorchester
- Dovercourt
- Dumbarton
- Dumfries
- Dundee
- Dunfermline
- Durham
- Ealing
- East Grinstead
- East Ham
- East Kilbride
- Eastbourne
- Eastleigh
- Edgware
- Edinburgh
- Egham
- Elgin
- Ellesmere Port
- Eltham
- Ely
- Enniskillen
- Epsom
- Evesham
- Exeter
- Exmouth
- Fakenham
- Falkirk
- Fareham
- Farnborough
- Farnham
- Faversham
- Felixstowe
- Feltham
- Ferndown
- Finchley
- Fleet
- Forfar
- Frinton on Sea
- Frodsham
- Gainsborough
- Galashiels
- Garstang
- Glasgow Argyle St
- Glasgow Byres road
- Glasgow Shawlands cross
- Glengormley
- Glenrothes
- Gloucester
- Gosport
- Grantham
- Gravesend
- Grays
- Greenford
- Greenock
- Guildford
- Hackney
- Halifax
- Hamilton
- Hammersmith
- Handsworth
- Hanley
- Harlow
- Harrow
- Hartlepool
- Hastings
- Hayes
- Heanor
- Hemel Hempstead
- Hereford
- High Wycombe
- Hinckley
- Holbeach
- Holborn
- Holloway
- Horley
- Horsham
- Hounslow
- Huddersfield
- Hungerford
- Hunstanton
- Huntingdon
- Ilford
- Ilfracombe
- Ilkeston
- Inverness
- Ipswich
- Irvine
- Islington (The Angel)
- Kendal
- Kensington
- Kidderminster
- Kilburn
- Kilmarnock
- Kings Heath
- Kings Lynn
- Kingston-upon-Thames
- Kirkcaldy
- Kirkwall
- Knutsford
- Lanark
- Lancaster
- Leam Spa
- Leatherhead
- Leeds
- Leicester
- Leigh
- Leigh On Sea
- Leighton Buzzard
- Leominster
- Leven
- Lichfield
- Lincoln
- Lisburn
- Liverpool
- Livingston
- Llandudno
- London City
- Londonderry
- Long Eaton
- Loughborough
- Lowestoft
- Luton
- Macclesfield
- Maidenhead
- Maidstone
- Malvern
- Manchester
- Mansfield
- Marlborough
- Marlow
- Marple
- Matlock
- Meadowhall
- Melksham
- Melton
- Merry Hill
- Mickleover
- Middlesbrough
- Middlewich
- Milford Haven
- Milton Keynes
- Mold
- Monmouth
- Montrose
- Morden
- Morecambe
- Morningside
- Motherwell
- Nantwich
- Neath
- New Alresford
- New Malden
- New Milton
- Newbury
- Newcastle
- Newcastle Under Lyme
- Newport
- Newry
- Newton Abbot
- Newtown
- Newtownards
- North Hayes
- Northampton - Kingsthorpe
- Northampton Centre
- Northfield
- Northwood
- Norwich
- Nottingham
- Nuneaton
- Oban
- Old Swan
- Oldham
- Ormskirk
- Orpington
- Oswestry
- Oxford
- Paignton
- Paisley
- Parkstone
- Penarth
- Perth
- Peterhead
- Petersfield
- Pinner
- Pitreavie
- Plymouth
- Pontypool
- Pontypridd
- Poole
- Port Talbot
- Portadown
- Portsmouth
- Preston
- Purley
- Rainham
- Rayleigh
- Reading
- Redcar
- Redditch
- Redhill
- Reigate
- Richmond
- Ringwood
- Ripley
- Rochdale
- Romsey
- Ross on Wye
- Rotherham
- Rugby
- Ruislip
- Runcorn
- Rushden
- Rutherglen
- Sale
- Salford
- Salisbury
- Sandbach
- sawbridgeworth
- Scarborough
- Sevenoaks
- Sheerness
- Sheffield
- Shepherd's Bush
- Sheringham
- Shirley
- Shrewsbury
- Skegness
- Sleaford
- Slough
- Solihull
- Southall
- Southampton
- Southend On Sea
- Southport
- Spalding
- Staines
- Stamford
- Stanmore
- Stevenage
- Stirling
- Stockport
- Stockton
- Stourbridge
- Stowmarket
- Stratford
- Stratford City
- Streatham
- Stretford
- Stroud
- Sudbury
- Sunderland
- Surbiton
- Sutton
- Sutton
- Sutton Coldfield
- Swadlincote
- Swaffham
- Swanage
- Swansea
- Swindon Croft
- Swindon Regent Street
- Tamworth
- Thame
- The Strand
- Thetford
- Tiverton
- Tonbridge
- Tooting
- Torquay
- Tottenham Court Road
- Trowbridge
- Tunbridge Wells
- Twickenham
- Uckfield
- Upton Park
- Uxbridge
- Victoria
- Wakefield
- Walkden
- Wallingford
- Wallington
- Wallsend
- Walsall
- Walthamstow
- Walton-On-Thames
- Wandsworth
- Wantage
- Wareham
- Warrington
- Waterlooville
- Watford
- Wednesfield
- Wembley
- West Bromwich
- West Malling
- West Wickham
- Westbury on Trym
- Westerham
- Weston
- Weymouth
- Whitley Bay
- Wickford
- Wigan
- Wilmslow
- Wimbledon
- Wimborne
- Winchester
- Windsor
- Winton
- Wisbech
- witham
- Witney
- Woking
- Wokingham
- Wolverhampton
- Wood Green
- Woodley
- Worcester
- Worcester Park
- Worksop
- Worthing
- Wrexham
- Wymondham
- Yarmouth
- York