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Diversity, equity & inclusion

7 ways we’re making banking more accessible to our customers

Find out what we’re doing to tackle the barriers disabled people can face.

1.       Accessible by design

 Our Inclusive Design Panel was created this year to help us design services that work for everyone. The Panel consists of individuals and experts with experience of a range of different support needs – including people with disabilities.

By sharing their feedback during the design process, the panel helps to highlight any potential barriers disabled people might experience, and ensure the tools, products and services we create are accessible for everyone.

 

2.       Making it personal

Every single one of our customers is different. Banking My Way lets our customers tell us more about themselves and the support they need. Maybe they’re deaf and need a sign language interpreter, or perhaps they have mobility issues they want us to be aware of.

 

Whatever their support needs, Banking My Way means all of our colleagues are aware of them every single time they contact the bank – allowing us to provide the right support.

 

3.       Signing support

Hearing impaired customers can communicate with us more easily thanks to our partnership with SignVideo. The service lets colleagues and customers communicate easily in branch or via customer contact through the SignVideo app with the help of a sign language interpreter.

 

4.       Accessible cards

All our NatWest, Royal Bank and Ulster Bank debit cards have been specially designed to be easier to use, especially for customers with visual impairments. 

Accessibility features on our bank cards include:

  • A notch carved out of the side of the card, to make it easier to work out which way round to insert the card into a cash machine or card reader.
  • A series of raised dots to make the debit card easy to recognise amongst the others in a customer’s wallet.
  • The telephone numbers on the back of the card are also 50% larger to make reading easier.

Customers can also order an embossed large print or braille card wallet, to help make it easier to read card information including the PAN and expiry date.

5.      Help with hearing

All our branches have hearing loops which support customers using a hearing aid by making speech clearer and more understandable.

 

6.       Accessible apps

Our mobile apps bring the bank to our customers, allowing them to bank whenever and wherever suits them. That’s beneficial for everyone – including customers with disabilities like mobility issues who may find it harder to travel to a branch, for example.

We’re constantly updating our apps – and evolving our brand - to help us become more accessible. That involves considering everything from the colours, designs and fonts we use, to ensuring compatibility with accessibility software. We were also the first bank in the UK to offer dark mode on our mobile apps, improving accessibility for neurodiverse customers and those with low vision by reducing eye-strain.

 

7.       Culture of inclusion

We want to create a bank where everyone – colleagues and customers alike – feel supported to be themselves. That commitment to accessibility and inclusion has an impact that goes beyond banking, extending into the fabric of our society.

 

Danielle McIntyre, one of the Chairs of our Enable Disability Network, shares more on why marking days like International Day of Persons with Disabilities is important at NatWest Group.

Read the disability smart case study

 

For information on the accessible banking support you could receive, select an option below:

Disclaimer:

This is for media use and not a financial promotion.

Information about Banking My Way:

The Banking My Way service is available to customers aged 16 or over in the mobile app or Online Banking. For customers under 16, parental consent is required and information must be recorded in branch or over the phone.

For information visit:

- NatWest - Banking My Way

- Royal Bank of Scotland - Banking My Way

- Ulster Bank - Banking My Way

Information about our mobile apps:

Apps available to customers aged 11+ with compatible iOS and Android devices and a UK or international mobile number in specific countries. Online Banking available to customers aged 11+ with a NatWest, RBS or Ulster account. 

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