NatWest

Retail bank. Products & services: Banking, Insurance.

Updated: 3 August 2026

Company Overview

Industry: Retail and commercial banking
Parent company: NatWest Group plc
Regulator: Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) — FRN 121878
Ombudsman: Financial Ombudsman Service
Founded: 1968
Legal entity: National Westminster Bank Plc (Companies House no. 00929027)

2.90per 1,000Complaints per 1,000 relevant accounts (banking & credit cards)
46%within 3 working days; a further 36% within 8 weeksClosed within 8 weeks (banking & credit cards)

What customers complain about

Customers most often complain to NatWest about its core banking and credit-card products, which account for the overwhelming majority of the bank's complaints. Common themes include fraud and authorised push payment (APP) scams, payment and transaction problems, account access and app or online-banking issues, account closures and delays, and how quickly complaints are handled. National Westminster Bank Plc's own data for the second half of 2025 shows the bank upheld (found in the customer's favour) 57% of banking and credit-card complaints, with 46% closed within three working days. Complaints about home finance, credit-related products, investments, pensions and insurance are far smaller in volume. If NatWest does not resolve a complaint within eight weeks, or sooner if it issues a final response, the customer can take it free of charge to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Complaint categories

1
Banking and credit-card problems dominate
The bank's everyday current-account and credit-card products generate the vast majority of its complaints — 90,819 opened in H2 2025, far ahead of any other product group.
National Westminster Bank Plc complaints data, H2 2025 (banking & credit cards 90,819 vs home finance 6,123, credit-related 7,024, investments 451, pensions 41, insurance 77).
2
Fraud and authorised push payment (APP) scams
Scam and fraud disputes are a significant driver of banking complaints across the industry; since 7 October 2024 NatWest must reimburse eligible APP scam victims who were tricked into authorising a payment.
Payment Systems Regulator mandatory APP reimbursement rules, live from 7 October 2024, applying to in-scope PSPs including NatWest.
3
Complaint-handling and resolution speed
How quickly complaints are acknowledged and resolved is itself a common source of dissatisfaction; NatWest closed 46% of banking and credit-card complaints within three working days in H2 2025, meaning many took longer.
National Westminster Bank Plc complaints data, H2 2025 (46% closed within 3 working days).

Latest statistics

90,819Complaints opened (banking & credit cards)H2 2025 (1 Jul–31 Dec 2025)
46%within 3 working days; a further 36% within 8 weeksClosed within 8 weeks (banking & credit cards)H2 2025 (1 Jul–31 Dec 2025)

Figures are National Westminster Bank Plc's own published complaints data for H2 2025 (1 July to 31 December 2025), for the Banking & Credit Cards product group, which accounts for the large majority of the bank's complaints. The bank reports the same data to the FCA's six-monthly firm-level complaints return. 'Closed within 8 weeks' shows the bank's two published resolution buckets (46% closed within 3 working days; a further 36% closed after 3 days but within 8 weeks).

Contact methods

Complaint journey

1
Contact NatWest
Raise your complaint through the right channel for your product.
Typical responseImmediate
What happens
Complain via the mobile app, the Cora chat assistant in online/mobile banking, by phone, in writing, in branch, or through the online form if you are not a customer. Use the correct route for your product — current accounts (03457 888 444), credit cards (0370 333 9091) or mortgages (0345 302 0190) — and clearly explain what went wrong and what you want put right.
2
Acknowledgement
NatWest confirms it has received your complaint.
Typical responseWithin 5 days
What happens
NatWest says it will confirm it has your complaint within 5 days and will keep you updated. It aims to resolve complaints as quickly as possible; simple issues are often closed within a few working days (46% of banking and credit-card complaints were closed within three working days in H2 2025).
3
Investigation and final response
The bank investigates and issues its decision.
Typical responseUp to 8 weeks
What happens
The bank reviews your complaint and sends a final response explaining its decision and any redress. Under FCA rules it has up to 8 weeks to give you a final response. If it upholds your complaint it may correct the problem, refund charges or pay compensation for any loss or inconvenience — but an outcome is never guaranteed.
4
Escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service
Ask the independent ombudsman to review it for free.
Typical responseWithin 6 months
What happens
If you are unhappy with the final response, or NatWest has not resolved the complaint within 8 weeks, you can refer it free of charge to the Financial Ombudsman Service. You normally have 6 months from the date of the final response letter to do so. The FCA regulates NatWest but does not resolve individual disputes — that is the ombudsman's role.

Response times

NatWest says it will confirm it has received your complaint within 5 days and then keep you updated. It aims to resolve complaints as quickly as possible: for banking and credit-card complaints in H2 2025 it closed 46% within three working days and a further 36% after three days but within eight weeks. Under FCA rules the bank has a maximum of 8 weeks to issue a final response before you can take the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Home-finance and investment complaints tend to take longer, with only 60% and 2% respectively closed within three working days in the same period.

If your complaint isn’t resolved

If NatWest can’t put things right, you can escalate — free of charge — to an independent body:

Financial Ombudsman Service

Recent news

30 May 2025
The UK government sold its final shares in NatWest Group, returning the bank to full private ownership after 17 years of partial state ownership dating from the 2008 financial crisis.
Read more
7 October 2024
The Payment Systems Regulator's mandatory APP fraud reimbursement scheme went live, requiring banks including NatWest to reimburse eligible victims of authorised push payment scams sent over Faster Payments or CHAPS.
Read more

Earlier cases

13 December 2021
Historic: National Westminster Bank Plc was fined £264.8m at Southwark Crown Court after pleading guilty to three offences under the Money Laundering Regulations 2007 for failing to monitor the account of a commercial customer (Fowler Oldfield) between 2012 and 2016 — the FCA's first criminal prosecution for money-laundering failings.
Read more
1 July 2023
Historic: NatWest Group faced the 'debanking' controversy over the closure of Nigel Farage's account at its Coutts subsidiary. An independent review (Travers Smith) found the closure decision was lawful and largely commercial but that the bank had serious failings in how it communicated the decision and handled the complaint; then-CEO Dame Alison Rose resigned, and the FCA said the report highlighted potential regulatory breaches and areas for improvement.
Read more

Know your rights

Financial Conduct Authority DISP rules (Dispute Resolution: Complaints)
NatWest must handle your complaint under the FCA's DISP rules: acknowledge it, investigate fairly, and issue a final response within 8 weeks, after which you can go to the Financial Ombudsman Service. This is a regulatory framework, not personalised legal advice.
Payment Services Regulations 2017 and the APP reimbursement rules (from 7 October 2024)
For unauthorised transactions you are generally entitled to a refund unless you acted fraudulently or with gross negligence; for many authorised push payment scams from 7 October 2024, NatWest must reimburse eligible victims. If it refuses, you can complain and then escalate to the ombudsman.
Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 / Consumer Duty
As an FCA-authorised firm, NatWest is bound by the Consumer Duty to deliver good outcomes and support for retail customers, including in how it handles complaints. Breaches can support a complaint but do not by themselves give you a direct claim.

Frequently asked questions

How do I complain to NatWest?

You can complain through the NatWest mobile app, the Cora chat assistant in online or mobile banking, by phone (03457 888 444 for personal accounts, 0370 333 9091 for credit cards, 0345 302 0190 for mortgages), by post, in branch, or via the online complaint form if you are not a customer.

How long does NatWest take to deal with a complaint?

NatWest says it will confirm it has your complaint within 5 days. Many are resolved quickly — it closed 46% of banking and credit-card complaints within three working days in H2 2025 — but under FCA rules it can take up to 8 weeks to give a final response.

What can I do if NatWest rejects my complaint?

If you are unhappy with NatWest's final response, or it has not resolved your complaint within 8 weeks, you can refer it free of charge to the Financial Ombudsman Service, usually within 6 months of the final response letter.

Will NatWest refund me if I was scammed?

For payments you were tricked into authorising over Faster Payments or CHAPS on or after 7 October 2024, NatWest must reimburse eligible victims under the mandatory APP reimbursement rules. Report it to the bank as soon as possible; if reimbursement is refused you can complain and then go to the ombudsman.

Does NatWest have a Citizens Advice star rating?

No. The Citizens Advice star rating covers energy suppliers, not banks. NatWest's complaint performance is instead measured by its own published FCA complaints data — for example a 57% uphold rate on banking and credit-card complaints in H2 2025.

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