People who struggle to communicate verbally when visiting a bank can now use free communication cards to explain what help they need without speaking. Major banks and building societies are adopting the Speak Easy cards for face-to-face branch visits.
How the cards work
The cards let a customer point to information, pictures, questions or requests to tell staff what assistance they require. They cover everyday tasks such as checking savings, making payments or reporting a lost or stolen card, and can also flag concerns about a possible fraud or scam without a verbal explanation.
Industry-wide adoption
The scheme was created by Nationwide with people who have lived experience of communication difficulties and has been in its branches since 2024. It is now freely available for other financial services providers to adopt for a more consistent approach across the industry. Virgin Money, NatWest, Santander, AIB Group, Bank of Ireland and Skipton Building Society have already signed up.
Who the cards are for
The cards are aimed at anyone who finds face-to-face verbal communication difficult or stressful, including people with disabilities, speech or language difficulties, stroke survivors, and customers whose first language is not English. Figures from the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, obtained by Nationwide, suggest one in five people in the UK will experience communication difficulties at some point in their lives. The cards give customers greater independence and allow them to raise sensitive issues discreetly.
Future expansion
Customers can see which organisations have adopted the cards through the Signing Banks Speak Easy website, which is updated as more providers join. Nationwide is also developing guidance for other customer-facing sectors to introduce the cards, with the longer-term aim of making the tool recognisable across different services.
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.”
Economic Secretary to the Treasury Lucy Rigby said inadequate access to essential banking services could leave people in vulnerable situations. She welcomed the industry's adoption of the initiative and said it could help more people access essential services with greater independence.
