Client support hub

Looking after our customers is important to us. We want to ensure it's easy for your clients to get the support they need to access our products and services. Sharing your clients' support needs will not affect our decision to lend.

How you can help your clients' with their support needs

A support need is anything that will help your client get the most out of their interactions with us. We want your clients to be able to access our products and services without barriers. So, where possible, we will adjust certain processes or how we communicate with them.

For example, it may be helpful for your client to get letters with larger print. Or they need people to speak slowly and clearly, so they are better able to understand information.

Tell us about your clients' support needs by completing and emailing the following form to vulnerable.customers@nationwide.co.uk. You can do this at any point after submitting an application.

Share your clients' support needs

Before you share your clients' support needs with us, please ensure you have asked your client for permission and have their consent to record their support needs with us. You also need to ensure they understand how we will use their information.

Information:

sharing client support needs will not affect our decision to lend.

How clients' can tell us about their support needs

Your client can also tell us about their support needs. We work with Experian Support Hub, which lets your clients choose which organisations to share their support needs with in a simple process.

The benefits of this are:

They won't have to repeat themselves to other organisations
They control which organisations know about their support needs
They will automatically receive the support they need
Their personal data is safe and secure

Experian Support Hub

What is vulnerability?

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) defines a vulnerable customer as someone who "due to their personal circumstances, is especially susceptible to harm, particularly when a firm is not acting with appropriate levels of care."

This means a client could be vulnerable if they are in a situation that is making it difficult for them to manage their finances. Examples could include a life event such as bereavement or job loss. Or a mental or physical illness such as anxiety or cancer. Vulnerability can take many forms and below are further examples.

Health This will reveal additional content

Physical disability

Severe or long term illness

Hearing or visual impairment

Mental health condition or disability

Addiction

Low mental capacity or cognitive disability

Life event This will reveal additional content

Retirement

Bereavement

Job loss

Relationship breakdown

Domestic abuse

Caring responsibilities

Resilience This will reveal additional content

Inadequate or erratic income

Over indebtedness

Low savings

Low emotional resilience

Lack of support or structure

Capability This will reveal additional content

Low knowledge or confidence in managing finances

Poor literacy or numeracy skills

Poor English language skills

Poor or non existent digital skills

Learning impairments

No or low access to help or support

What is a support need?

A support need is something a client has asked us to do to make sure they can access our products and services without barriers. For example, it may be helpful for them to get letters with larger print. Or perhaps they just need people to speak slowly and clearly, so they are better able to understand information.

The full list we currently support is below.

Managing my time This will reveal additional content

I need longer appointments

Give me more time to respond or complete tasks

Limit the number of calls and appointments

Only contact me in the morning

Only contact me after midday

Understanding and memory This will reveal additional content

Help me with my memory, I may forget information

Help me with my understanding of numbers and information

Check the purpose of transactions to help me make decisions

Ask me to summarise information to check my understanding

Follow up in writing after we interact

Speaking and listening This will reveal additional content

Speak slowly and clearly

Speak louder

My voice may sound different from what you expect

My speech may be affected, so give me time to answer

When meeting in person

Turn the radio off if I'm in branch

I need to use a hearing loop

I need to use the aids or tools in branch

I lipread, face me when speaking

Mood and behaviour This will reveal additional content

I find social interactions difficult

Be understanding, as my behaviour/ mood can change quickly

Do not draw attention to my body movements

Reading and writing This will reveal additional content

Allow me extra reading time

Check I've understood

Read aloud to me

I struggle with literacy

Video and text relay This will reveal additional content

I use Video Relay Service

I use Relay UK

I use text-to-speech software

Helpers and interpreters This will reveal additional content

I may have someone with me for support

I use a British Sign Language interpreter

I use a foreign language interpreter

I need you to arrange a British Sign Language interpreter for appointments

I need you to arrange a deafblind interpreter for appointments

I use an assistance dog

Environment and surroundings This will reveal additional content

Arrange meetings in accessible areas due to mobility issues

I cannot attend meetings in person

I prefer to meet in a quiet place if available

I prefer to meet in a public space if available

Writing to me This will reveal additional content

Send emails or letters instead of verbal or face-to-face communication

Send communications in print

Send communications in Braille

Send audio communications

I would like my letters and statements to be in large print (16pt to 36pt)

I would like my letters and statements to be in bold text

Ways to contact me This will reveal additional content

The only channels I can access are:

Branch

Phone

Online

Vulnerability toolkit

Here are some tools to help identify if your client has support needs. And how to talk to your clients about them.

IDEA - having a conversation to find a solution This will reveal additional content: I – Impact What happens? What is the problem?

D – Duration How long has it been going on for?

E – Experience Has it happened before? Could it happen again?

A – Assistance Does the client have any help or need any help?

Think of this as part of your solution. It's your IDEA for how to give the client assistance.
Bruce - finding it hard to make decisions This will reveal additional content: B - Behaviour and talk Look out for or monitor a clients’ behaviour for signs that they are experiencing difficulties with understanding and decision making

R – Remembering Is the client experiencing any problems with their memory or recall? For example, are they asking you to repeat what you are saying

U – Understanding Does the client grasp or understand the information given to them? For example, are they looking confused?

C – Communicating Can the client share and communicate their thoughts, questions and decisions about what they want to do?

E - Evaluating Can the client weigh up the different options open to them?
TEXAS - when someone shares information with you This will reveal additional content: The TEXAS protocol below, should be used to ensure the client is aware what information we are gathering and how we use it.

T – Thank the client for giving you the information e.g. “Thank you for telling me about your situation, it will help us to help you”

E – Explain how the information will be used. The Mortgage Works will use this information to personalise the service offered to clients where possible

X – Explicit consent should be obtained from the client to use information in this way

A – Ask questions to establish key information, this will help you understand the situation better. For example: “How does your situation affect your ability to communicate with us?”

S – Signpost them to the most appropriate internal/external help resources e.g. a free debt-advice agency or the NHS111 line for health problems.

How do I identify if recording support needs will help in the future?

Here are some things to consider when assessing whether or not recording your client’s support needs will be the best outcome for them:

How do the client’s circumstances affect their ability to manage their money?
Do you think the type of help and support they need is a one off request / short term or is it likely to last longer?
Are there any barriers that we could remove to make it easier for the client now?
Will a support needs alert ensure a better or more consistent experience for the client?