Nationwide £100 Fairer Share lands but £289 'perks' are shop items, not cash

Nationwide Building Society has started paying its £100 Fairer Share payment into eligible members' accounts, according to the Daily Mirror. Alongside the payment it has launched a promotion called Fairer Share Drops. The 'perks worth up to £289' are not a second payment. They are 100 second-hand items hidden in vintage shops around the UK, which shoppers can buy for far less than their original price.

The Mirror reported that the UK's largest building society has teamed up with the presenter Maya Jama, who chose the collection and stars in a promotional video. This matters if you saw the Facebook posts and expected an extra £289 to arrive in your account. The only money being paid out is the £100 itself.

How the Fairer Share Drops treasure hunt works

Nationwide calls Fairer Share Drops a UK-wide treasure hunt. According to the Mirror, the items include vintage Polaroid cameras, Hermès cushion covers, a Cult Gaia clutch and vintage football shirts, all placed in second-hand shops at a fraction of their original prices. Each item has a special Nationwide QR code. Scanning it takes the buyer to the Fairer Share Drops website, where the item is marked as claimed.

The published prices don't quite match. The Mirror's report says the items are available for as little as £5, but later says each one will cost between £1 and £100. Either way, the buyer still pays in the shop, so this is a hunt for bargains rather than a gift in the usual sense.

Stephen Noakes, Nationwide's Group Retail Director, said the society was 'celebrating the joy of the unexpected' by helping the £100 payment 'go even further'. Maya Jama said she had loved putting together what she called 'the ultimate preloved collection to help members treat themselves this June'. Neither of them said how much Nationwide is spending on the promotion.

Who gets the £100 and who can join the hunt

The £100 Fairer Share payment goes to eligible Nationwide members. In Mr Noakes's words, it is landing in 'many members' accounts'. The Mirror's report does not set out who qualifies, how many members will be paid or when the last payments will be made.

The treasure hunt is a separate thing. The report does not say the hidden items are only for Nationwide members, and they are on sale in ordinary shops to whoever finds them first. With only 100 items across the whole of the UK, the hunt is a marketing exercise rather than something members can count on.

The Mirror named these shops. In London: Beyond Retro in Kings Cross (N1C 4DQ), Dalston (N16 7XB) and Soho (W1F 7TR), plus Menace Vintage (E1 6SA). In Brighton: Beyond Retro (BN1 4AD). In Manchester: Remarket (M1 3AN). In Glasgow: Frida & Coco (G4 0QT) and Hidden Lane (G3 8ND). In Cardiff: Fussy (CF11 9JZ). In Belfast: American Madness (BT5 5BJ). No shops outside these cities were listed.

Key numbers

• £100: the Fairer Share payment going into eligible members' accounts.
• £289: the most any single item in the Fairer Share Drops collection is said to be worth.
• 100: the number of items hidden in second-hand shops around the UK.
• £5: the lowest price for an item given at one point in the Mirror's report.
• £1: the lowest price in the price range given elsewhere in the same report.
• 10 June: the date the Fairer Share Drops website was due to go live with more details and the video.

What happens next with the payments and the hunt

According to the Mirror, the £100 payments started landing on the day the promotion was announced. The Fairer Share Drops website was due to go live from 10 June with more details and the Maya Jama video. Mr Noakes said the payment 'begins to land in many members' accounts', which suggests it is being paid in stages rather than all at once.

When someone scans an item it is marked as claimed, so fewer items remain as people find them. The report gives no closing date for the hunt beyond Maya Jama's mention of members treating themselves this June.

What you can do now

If you are a Nationwide member, the simplest step is to check your statement or banking app for a payment marked as the Fairer Share payment. If you think you should have had it and nothing has arrived, contact Nationwide directly. The Mirror's report does not set out the eligibility rules.

If you live near one of the listed shops and fancy a look, treat the hunt like any other shopping trip. Check the price on the tag before you buy. The £100 payment is yours to use however you choose, whether on bills, savings or something else.

Be wary of anyone who contacts you about the £100 payment or the Drops and asks for bank details or security codes. The Mirror reports that the QR codes are on the items themselves in the shops, so there is no reason for a stranger to send you one.

Your questions answered

Is Nationwide paying me an extra £289?

No. According to the Mirror, £289 is the most any item in the Fairer Share Drops collection is worth, and those items are sold in second-hand shops. The only cash payment is the £100 Fairer Share payment for eligible members.

Do I have to be a Nationwide member to buy one of the hidden items?

The Mirror's report does not say the items are only for members. They are hidden in ordinary vintage shops, and the buyer scans a QR code that marks the item as claimed on the Fairer Share Drops website.

How do I know if I am eligible for the £100?

The Mirror says the payment is going to eligible members but does not list the rules. Check your account for the payment, and contact Nationwide if you believe you qualify and it has not arrived.