Virgin Money
Retail bank. Products & services: Current Accounts, Mortgages, Savings.
Updated: 3 August 2026
Company Overview
- Industry
- Retail banking and financial services
- Parent company
- Virgin Money UK PLC (owned by Nationwide Building Society)
- Regulator
- Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority (FRN 121873)
- Ombudsman
- Financial Ombudsman Service
- Legal entity
- Clydesdale Bank PLC (company no. SC001111; FRN 121873)
- 3.77Banking and credit card complaints per 1,000 accounts
- 99%(51% within 3 working days, a further 48% after 3 days but within 8 weeks)Complaints closed within 8 weeks
What customers complain about
Customers most often complain to Virgin Money (Clydesdale Bank PLC) about general administration and customer service, which the bank itself reports as the leading complaint driver across banking, credit cards and home finance. Banking and credit-card complaints run at about 3.77 per 1,000 accounts and home-finance complaints at about 6.82 per 1,000 balances, with roughly two-thirds of closed complaints upheld in the customer's favour (1 April to 30 September 2025). Around half of complaints are resolved within three working days. Common issues include account and payment administration, card servicing, mortgage handling, and fraud/scam claims. Since October 2024 Virgin Money has been part of Nationwide, and authorised push payment (APP) scam claims fall under the mandatory reimbursement rules in force from 7 October 2024. Unresolved complaints can go to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Complaint categories
- 1General administration and customer service
The bank's own FCA complaints publication names 'general admin / customer service' as the leading complaint cause across its banking, credit-card and home-finance product groups.
Clydesdale Bank PLC complaints data, 1 Apr – 30 Sep 2025 (uk.virginmoney.com/service/complaints/data/) - 2Payments, cards and account servicing
Banking and credit-card products account for the largest share of complaints by volume (around 32,000 opened in the half-year), covering account and payment administration and card servicing.
Clydesdale Bank PLC complaints data, 1 Apr – 30 Sep 2025 (uk.virginmoney.com/service/complaints/data/) - 3Mortgages / home finance
Home finance shows the highest complaint rate per 1,000 (6.82) and one of the highest uphold rates (65%), pointing to mortgage servicing and handling issues.
Clydesdale Bank PLC complaints data, 1 Apr – 30 Sep 2025 (uk.virginmoney.com/service/complaints/data/) - 4Fraud and APP scams
Authorised push payment scam claims are a recognised category, now governed by the mandatory reimbursement rules in force from 7 October 2024.
Virgin Money APP scam protection page (uk.virginmoney.com/fraud-and-security/app-scam-protection/); PSR PS24/7
Latest statistics
- 99%(51% within 3 working days, a further 48% after 3 days but within 8 weeks)Complaints closed within 8 weeks1 Apr – 30 Sep 2025
Figures self-reported by Clydesdale Bank PLC (trading as Virgin Money) under the FCA's DISP complaints-publication rules, for the reporting period 1 April 2025 to 30 September 2025. Rates are the firm's own 'per 1,000' contextualisation metric; upheld % is the share of closed complaints resolved in the customer's favour.
Contact methods
- Banking complaints (current accounts, savings, loans, insurance)0800 121 7365
- Virgin Money credit cards0800 011 3210
- Virgin Atlantic credit cards0800 085 3210
- Mortgages0345 602 8301
- Complaints by postThe team at Virgin Money, Sunderland, SR43 4JB
- Online complaint formWeb form; live chat and in-branch options also available
Complaint journey
- 1
Contact Virgin Money
Raise the complaint with the bank using the right channel for your product.
Typical response3 working daysWhat happens
Complain by phone on the line for your product (banking 0800 121 7365, Virgin Money credit cards 0800 011 3210, Virgin Atlantic credit cards 0800 085 3210, mortgages 0345 602 8301), via the online complaint form, live chat, in branch, or by post to The team at Virgin Money, Sunderland, SR43 4JB. Virgin Money aims to resolve complaints within 3 working days of the day after it receives them.
- 2
Investigation
If it cannot be fixed quickly, the bank investigates formally.
Typical responseUp to 8 weeksWhat happens
Where a complaint cannot be resolved within 3 working days, Clydesdale Bank PLC investigates it under the FCA's DISP rules. Most banking complaints must receive a final response within 8 weeks; most payment-service complaints (for example disputed or failed payments) must be answered within 15 working days.
- 3
Final response
You receive the bank's decision and your ombudsman rights.
Typical responseWithin 8 weeksWhat happens
The bank issues a final response letter setting out its decision and, if you remain unhappy, your right to refer the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Keep this letter — the ombudsman normally needs it.
- 4
Escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service
Take an unresolved complaint to the free, independent ombudsman.
Typical responseWithin 6 monthsWhat happens
If Virgin Money does not resolve your complaint within 8 weeks, or you disagree with its final response, you can refer it free of charge to the Financial Ombudsman Service. You normally have 6 months from the date of the final response to do so. The ombudsman resolves individual disputes; the FCA and PRA regulate the bank but do not settle individual complaints.
Response times
Virgin Money (Clydesdale Bank PLC) aims to resolve complaints within 3 working days of the day after receipt. Where that is not possible it investigates formally and must issue a final response within 8 weeks for most complaints, or within 15 working days for most payment-service complaints. In its own published data for 1 April to 30 September 2025, 51% of complaints were closed within 3 working days and a further 48% after 3 days but within 8 weeks. For APP scam claims under the rules effective 7 October 2024, the bank must reimburse eligible customers within 5 business days, or up to 35 business days where further investigation is needed.
If your complaint isn’t resolved
If Virgin Money can’t put things right, you can escalate — free of charge — to an independent body:
Recent news
- 1 October 2024
Nationwide Building Society completed its £2.9bn acquisition of Virgin Money UK PLC (parent of Clydesdale Bank PLC), after FCA and PRA approval on 6 September 2024 and CMA clearance in July 2024.
Read more - 7 October 2024
The PSR's mandatory APP scam reimbursement regime took effect, requiring reimbursement of eligible Faster Payments and CHAPS scam victims up to £85,000 per claim.
Read more - 20 November 2025
Nationwide confirmed it will keep all 696 combined Nationwide and Virgin Money branches open until at least the start of 2030, while continuing to phase out the Virgin Money brand over several years.
Read more
Earlier cases
- 14 April 2015
Historic: the FCA fined Clydesdale Bank PLC £20,678,300 for serious failings in PPI complaint handling between May 2011 and July 2013, including providing false information to the Financial Ombudsman Service — then the largest FCA fine for PPI failings.
Read more
Know your rights
- FCA Handbook — DISP (dispute resolution: complaints) rules
Sets the complaint-handling duties Clydesdale Bank PLC must follow, including acknowledgement, the 8-week final-response deadline (15 working days for most payment-service complaints) and your right to escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service. This is general information, not legal advice.
- Payment Services Regulations 2017
Give you rights over unauthorised or incorrectly executed payments — typically a refund of an unauthorised transaction unless you acted fraudulently or with gross negligence — and set the 15-working-day complaint timescale for most payment-service complaints. This is general information, not legal advice.
- Faster Payments APP scam mandatory reimbursement rules (PSR, from 7 October 2024)
Require the bank to reimburse eligible victims of authorised push payment scams sent by Faster Payments or CHAPS, up to £85,000, subject to limited exceptions. This is general information, not legal advice.
- FCA Consumer Duty
Requires the bank to deliver good outcomes for retail customers, including support when you complain and clear, fair communications. This is general information, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Which company actually handles my Virgin Money complaint?
Clydesdale Bank PLC, registered in Scotland (company no. SC001111) with FCA/PRA reference 121873. It trades under the Virgin Money, Clydesdale Bank and Yorkshire Bank brands, so your final-response letter may reference Clydesdale Bank PLC.
What number do I call to complain to Virgin Money?
It depends on the product: banking 0800 121 7365, Virgin Money credit cards 0800 011 3210, Virgin Atlantic credit cards 0800 085 3210, and mortgages 0345 602 8301. You can also use the online form, live chat, a branch, or write to The team at Virgin Money, Sunderland, SR43 4JB.
How long does Virgin Money take to respond?
It aims to resolve complaints within 3 working days. Otherwise it must give a final response within 8 weeks, or within 15 working days for most payment-service complaints. In its own data for April–September 2025, about half of complaints were closed within 3 working days.
Does the Nationwide takeover change how I complain?
Not for now. Since 1 October 2024 Virgin Money has been owned by Nationwide, but account details, sort codes and the complaints process are unchanged. The Virgin Money brand is being phased out gradually over several years.
What if I was scammed into making a payment?
Report it to Virgin Money immediately. Authorised push payment (APP) scams sent by Faster Payments or CHAPS from 7 October 2024 fall under the mandatory reimbursement rules, with eligible claims reimbursable up to £85,000, normally within 5 business days (up to 35 where more investigation is needed).
What if Virgin Money rejects my complaint?
You can refer it free of charge to the Financial Ombudsman Service, normally within 6 months of the final response. The ombudsman decides individual disputes; the FCA and PRA regulate the bank but do not settle individual complaints.
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