There's a key date for Nationwide customers keen to bag £100 in the Fairer Share bonus, says Martin Lewis.

March 31 2025 is the exact final day customers must have their accounts open and in active use to qualify, from previous years' data. 

So, anyone thinking of swapping banks might want to wait until after this cut-off, in order to still be eligible. 

It's one of a number of hoops Money Saving Expert founder highlighted that customers will need to jump through to bag the free £100. The scheme has paid out £100 for the last two years to customers who met the qualifying criteria in the first three months of the year.

Last year, £385 million was paid to 3.85 million Nationwide members. The year before that it was £340 million to 3.4 million people.

But, crucially, in those previous years, the scheme hasn't been been announced until May and then paid in June, so while it's not guaranteed, his site says it's likely to follow the same pattern again.

In a post on X, he said: "Max your chances of getting a FREE £100/yr from Nationwide. Its Fairer Share scheme to reward some 'loyal' customers has been running for two years. Here's what you likely need to do to boost your chances this year..."

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Nationwide bonus: How to maximise your chances

1. Sounds simple, but don't close your Nationwide current account. Or, at least not until March 31 2025.

2. Secondly, use your current account as it's intended.

  • For a FlexAccount, FlexBasic, FlexDirect pay in at least £500 and make two payments out of your account in two separate months. Alternatively, in two of the first three months of the year, make 10+ payments from your account
  • For FlexPlus packaged account, just paying the fee counts.
  • For FlexOne, FlexGraduate, FlexStudent accounts - just pay something in our our of your account in March 2025.

3. Make you have at least £100 in savings or owe at least £100 on a mortgage with Nationwide in March 2025.

Nothing is guaranteed, but you could be £100 richer in June.