An overview of NatWest's response to coronavirus can be found below.
For personal customers NatWest are:
- Freezing overdraft interest rates at current levels for at least three months and removing all other overdraft fees and charges.
- Following the two Bank of England base rate decreases, the full rate change has been passed on to mortgage customers.
- Processing mortgage holidays, letting customers know on application that if their payment was due in the next 14 days, it may not be stopped, and e-mailing customers affected to let them know that they will still benefit from the full 3 month offering, but this will run May – July.
- Contacting over 150,000 customers over the age of 70 who don’t have access to digital banking, to check on their welfare and support them.
- Delivering up to £500 to the homes of NHS workers and vulnerable customers via partnership with Travelex.
For business customers NatWest are:
- Implementing Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans – which start at £5,000.
- Working to process calls about the CBILS, and working with the UK government to broaden availability of the scheme and further streamline the process to get funds to businesses as fast as possible.
- Assisting larger customers who wish to apply for Bank of England’s Covid-19 Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF).
- Working with customers unable to access either CBILS or CCFF to explore alternative forms of finance, and engaging with Bank of England and Treasury officials on how these customers can be best supported.
In general:
- Matching funding donations made by customers to the National Emergencies Trust, contributing a total donation of up to £10 million.
- Giving more than £1 million to help 8 not-for-profit, debt management partners including PayPlan, StepChange, Money Advice Trust, Citizens Advice, Citizens Advice Scotland, Money Advice Scotland, Christians Against Poverty and Advice NI.
- Using their HQ at Gogarburn in Edinburgh as a food bank distribution hub for Social Bite and Trussell Trust charities.