Nationwide customers hit by payment delays

Customers of Nationwide have been hit by payment delays which are leaving some worried about receiving their wages just before Christmas.

Inbound and outgoing payments have been subject to delays all day on Tuesday, with no sign yet of when the problems will be resolved.

Nationwide, the UK's largest building society, has apologised to those affected.

It has urged people not to try to resend payments that are stuck.

"Unfortunately, there is currently a delay on outbound payments reaching people's accounts as well as inbound payments reaching Nationwide current accounts," a Nationwide spokesman said.

"We are working hard to resolve the issue and apologise for any inconvenience caused. All other services are working normally, and members can continue to use their cards to pay for goods and services, access the internet bank and banking app and withdraw cash from ATMs."

People have expressed their concern on social media at the timing of the problems, just a few days before Christmas when finances are already stretched.

One customer wrote on Twitter: "What is going on? Not one person can give a straight answer! It's Christmas in three days and you can't tell people when they will have their money. Absolute shambles!"

Another said: "I have wages going in tonight, really need some sort of timeline or help."

Some have also complained of long waits to contact the building society on the telephone.

A Nationwide spokesman said: "There is no need for people to resend payments and these will be processed as soon as possible."

It is not the only time payments errors have happened during the festive season. On Christmas Eve last year, 1.5 million customers of energy provider E.On received an unwelcome surprise when their bill payments were taken too early.