What a load of tosh and spin. Not you, the article.
How is removing the ability to make cash withdrawls abroad helping the customer
If they want to provide other services to the cash card fine, why take away a very small and simple service though.

Just got my letter which states that my "cheque guarantee card" will automatically be upgraded to a "Visa Debit Card" - which can be used to withdraw cash for free from foreign ATM's.

Quite simple really. The basic account with cash card (ie not flexaccount with VISA debit card) is, as someone else said, for the relatively poor and unwaged. They don't tend to spend lengthy periods of time in Spain withdrawing cash from ATMs.

What they do want to do is buy stuff in shops.

The old cash card did not allow them to buy stuff in shops with it - just withdraw money from ATMs.

The new cashcard+ will allow them to buy stuff from shops with the card.

Therefore it's a godsend for the MAIN users of this card.

For anyone else get a flexaccount and visa debit card and continue to withdraw cash for free in spanish ATMs.

That's not right.
The whole point of this thread is that people here have flex accounts with cash cards only, not sure what basic account you are talking about.
If you read my previous post, I said I don't have a problem with NW giving more services to the cash card, so there is no need to explain to me there merit, what is being questioned here is why they have taken away a service from this card.

Nope.

The Flexaccount comes with a debit card that currently looks like the one on www.nationwide.co.uk/current_account/default.htm

The Cash Card account is Nationwide's basic current account - they even say exactly that - "The Nationwide Cash Card Account is our basic current account" - on http://www.nationwide.co.uk/current_...rd_account.htm

Beats me how you get a flexaccount with only a cash card - unless you're a poor credit risk. In which case i don't blame them for changing the terms - they probably don't make any money from it.

The Basic Account is usually for people who don't have a decent credit rating(like bankrupts or those in debt) or for people who are on means-tested State Benefits. Every bank by law has to provide a Basic Bank Account so that these people can be catered for.There is is no overdraft facility, debit card or cheque book with these accounts.

The Flexaccount is a FULL Current Account, not a Basic Account and that is why it has more facilities that the Basic one.

Wrong again FF,
When you open a Flex account you are offered a cheque book and card or just cash card, as a customer you are free to choose and choosing a cash card only has nothing to do with credit ratings.
As I am totally clear on this topic now thanks to those helpful posts before, I will leave this thread as is.

So just ask for a darned debit card. Why would anyone just ask for a cash card? Cripes

errrr

to be able draw cash from the hole in the wall!!

I don't like credit cards or debit cards at all - I would rather (& do) just pay cash for everything..................

Absolutely correct.

We took the cheque book and cheque guarantee card at the time. This card is now being automatically upgraded to the debit card. Not sure though if we will still be able to use cheques?

Thankyou,
I thought it was just me

ooh I'm sure we're not the only 2

You are missing the point. The debit/credit/cheque facilities are only offered to uk residents on the electoral roll. Nothing at all to do with credit rating.
If you already have one of these - fine - you will receive a new version of that card.
However if, as we did, you opened your accounts when you were not in the uk you would only have recived the cash card. This will now only be replaced with the cash+ card and the ability to upgrade to the debit card will not be available. This is totally irrespective of how good your credit rating or income is.

I think this is exceedingly mean of Nationwide to do this. My daughter is a student and although she has a part time job was unable to get the full debit card. She saved up to travel round Europe last year and used her cash card all the time and intends to travel this summer so this will really muck up her plans.

It is very patronising of the posters referring to "poor" people not being able to have the debit card. Nationwide promoted this facility very very heavily to get people to join and then they stop it. I believe to get the debit card now you have to agree to have your salary paid in and all your direct debits from it. I was lucky to get a debit card before this new ruling but no doubt this is the begining of the end for the debit card too. I think there will be a big backlash against them for doing this

If not many people use the cash card for withdrawals as Nationwide state, why are they stopping it, as it can't be costing them that much!

A very good reply. We took out the accounts for good interest and the cash card facility. The interest rates have gone, now the cash card - so what's the point in staying with Nationwide ?