‘Speak Easy’ aims to help people do their banking face to face.

Nationwide Building Society has become the first financial service provider in the UK to offer dedicated support for customers with communication difficulties. It is trialling the scheme, called ‘Speak Easy,’ at 10 branches across Greater Manchester. If successful, it will then be rolled out across Nationwide’s network of around 600 branches.

Branch staff are receiving specialised training using a custom-made set of printed cards with phrases and pictures. These cover a range of common banking questions, such as asking for financial support and advice, reporting a lost or stolen card and even asking for help to understand if they have been scammed.

Speak Easy will be available in branch for customers with communication difficulties – from those who are non-speaking to people who struggle to speak due to a range of causes, from autism and cognitive disabilities to stroke or motor neurone disease and aphasia.

This is great news for people with aphasia. And we look forward to seeing how the scheme develops.

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