Nationwide Banking App Outage: Thousands Affected as Digital Services Face Technical Issues

Recent Service Disruption

A significant technical outage hit Nationwide’s banking services on September 9, 2025, causing both their banking app and Internet Bank to become inaccessible across the UK. The incident prompted approximately 1,900 users to report problems on Downdetector, highlighting the scale of the disruption.

Impact and Duration

The mobile banking app and internet banking services at Britain’s biggest building society experienced downtime, with the service interruption lasting from the afternoon until around 4pm when services were restored.

During the outage, Nationwide advised its members about potential delays in incoming and outgoing payments. However, customers retained the ability to move money between accounts, use their cards for online and in-store purchases, and withdraw cash from ATMs.

Growing Concerns Over Banking Reliability

The incident has drawn attention from the Treasury Committee of MPs, who are investigating bank outages following disruptions at several high street lenders. Nationwide’s track record shows concerning trends, with IT failures increasing from seven incidents totaling 1,577 minutes in 2023 to eleven incidents lasting 2,649 minutes in 2024.

Expert Commentary and Future Implications

Martin Quinn, director of Campaign for Cash, has highlighted the risks of over-reliance on technology, emphasizing that these incidents demonstrate the continued importance of maintaining physical bank branches for face-to-face banking services when digital platforms fail.

Customer Support and Resolution

Nationwide has affirmed its commitment to providing the best possible service to customers, acknowledging that while system maintenance is necessary, their primary goal remains ensuring customers’ money is safe, secure, and managed effectively.