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Nationwide warns millions could be missing out on £555 a month

Nationwide is expanding its free Better Off Indicator to Virgin Money customers, helping households identify unclaimed financial support amid an estimated £24 billion in benefits going unclaimed annually.
A survey of more than 2,000 parents receiving Universal Credit found 66 per cent worried about affording food during summer holidays, with many admitting they may delay essential bills to cover break costs.
To cover summer costs, 63 per cent of parents said they were likely to turn to Buy Now Pay Later services, while 59 per cent expected to rely on credit cards or borrow from friends and family.
Since its 2025 launch, the Better Off Indicator has helped more than 17,000 households identify potential entitlement to £115 million of additional annual support, with users discovering an average of £555 a month in extra income.
Kathryn Townsend, Head of Customer Vulnerability at Nationwide, said "Expanding the service to Virgin Money customers means even more people will be able to benefit," as the move aims to remove barriers to accessing entitled support.

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