Speak Easy communication cards, enabling everyday banking conversations in a branch near you.

Speak Easy is an inclusive tool that supports people with communication difficulties to carry out face-to-face banking activities.

Developed by Nationwide and Visa for the benefit of everyone. Speak Easy is white-labelled and freely available for all financial services providers to use in their banking halls.

This video shows how Nationwide have used the Speak Easy Cards.

What is Speak Easy?

  • Speak Easy is a physical set of cards which can be used by branch colleagues and customers to communicate instead of speaking.  
  • They are designed to support customers who have difficulty speaking when carrying out face-to-face banking in a branch.
  • Each card has a commonly used banking phrase or request and a picture to show what the card means.
  • Customers can find the card they want and show it to a branch colleague to start a conversation.
  • The cards have been designed and developed together with people with lived experience of communication difficulties.
  • There are also Speak Easy Reception Area cards – these are cards with phrases and images to help colleagues and visitors in head offices.
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Why are Speak Easy cards needed?

  • In the UK, 1 in 5 people will experience difficulty speaking at some point in their lives. It is essential that we support people who face these difficulties by enabling them to communicate in a way that works for them.
  • Speak Easy cards have been designed with input from people who have lived experience of communication difficulties, including deaf individuals, people with learning disabilities, neurodivergent communities and stroke survivors. They have been tested and refined since 2024 to ensure they are practical, effective and easy to use.

Who is behind this initiative?

  • The Speak Easy cards were initially developed by a team of Nationwide colleagues, many of whom have lived experience of communication difficulties.
  • Following a successful pilot, Nationwide partnered with two expert panels from the Stroke Association and the British Institute of Learning Disabilities (BILD). Their insight helped further refine the cards, ensuring they meet the real needs of customers..
  • Visa is now supporting Nationwide to offer the Speak Easy cards to all financial services providers across the UK, helping to make communication more accessible for customers.
Download the cards

Become a partner: Get Started

Three simple steps to rollout the Speak Easy cards

Step 1:
Explore Resources

Read the disclaimer and guidance pack for rolling out the Speak Easy cards.

Step 2:
Download & Print

Download the Speak Easy cards for free and follow the instructions. Send an email to Aimee.Mason@Nationwide.co.uk to let us know you are participating.

Step 3:
Use with confidence

Rollout the training and guidance to frontline colleagues to help them support customers using the cards.

Become a Speak Easy Partner
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