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Nationwide Launches Free Phone Line to Help UK Residents Access Unclaimed Benefits

It adds a human support option to tackle digital exclusion, already helping thousands claim vital aid.

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Overview

  • Nationwide launched the free phone line on July 30, making it available to all UK residents without requiring a Nationwide account.
  • The building society partnered with Policy in Practice to offer personalised guidance over the phone, complementing its online 'Better Off' benefits calculator.
  • Within four weeks, more than 2,200 households discovered they were eligible for extra support averaging £554 per month, resulting in over £1.2 million claimed.
  • The service addresses low eligibility awareness, complex application forms and stigma that leave an estimated £23 billion in benefits unclaimed each year.
  • Nationwide is calling on the government to simplify benefit access processes and will use early uptake data to improve the service.