Using the card is crucial when a signature is needed for high-value items. Photograph: Anthony Brown/Alamy

Nationwide has signed away my right to use a contactless card

This article is more than 2 years old

I’ve had a two-year battle to get it to sort a problem with the ‘chip and signature’ system for disabled users

I have had a two-year battle to get Nationwide to treat disabled credit card users like the rest of its customers. Like many others, I have a contactless chip and signature card that requires me to sign (rather than input a pin) for high-value items, and for when the system needs to verify it is me paying. The problem is that Nationwide’s system doesn’t reset once you have signed, meaning that contactless payments are then getting rejected.

Rather than taking my complaint seriously – I have lodged a formal complaint – Nationwide has just ignored it. This must be having an impact on all of its chip and signature users, and it does seem to be in direct conflict with the Equality Act 2010.

MW, Ilminster

These cards are available to customers who are unable to use the chip and pin cards banks and building societies send out as standard. They are supposed to work in a similar way, asking for a signature after a number of contactless transactions, then resetting to allow contactless payments again. But for you, and other Nationwide customers, this has not happened.

After Money contacted Nationwide, a senior staff member called you, apologised and, after investigating, admitted that a vital piece of the security code was missing. This is being corrected.

Nationwide says: “We expect to have the issue fixed shortly and have promised to update MW once resolved, which he is happy with.

“We believe we have complied with the Equality Act throughout as there was never any intentional discrimination, and we have made reasonable adjustments to the process by offering a chip and signature card.

“What is important to focus on now is fixing the issue for him, and for others.”

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