Not upheld: alleged discrimination in application of identification requirements complaint against NATIONAL WESTMINSTER BANK PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY

Decision detail

Summary

Mr M complained that NatWest discriminated against him by refusing to accept his Blue Badge and digital passport as valid identification when he attempted to withdraw £4,000 in cash. He visited the branch twice on the same day in September 2025; his first withdrawal request was rejected, but his second request was accepted after he retrieved his physical passport. The ombudsman found that NatWest's requirement for a physical passport or driving licence was a reasonable safety measure reflecting the firm's documented cash withdrawal process, which was published on its website. Although sympathetic to Mr M's frustration, the ombudsman concluded the firm had not acted unfairly and did not uphold the complaint.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman acknowledged Mr M's frustration but concluded that NatWest's requirement for a physical passport or driving licence was not unreasonable, as the member of staff was following NatWest's established cash withdrawal process designed to protect customers given the safety risks associated with large cash withdrawals. Although the ombudsman took the Equality Act 2010 into account, the firm's process reflected legitimate safety considerations and was transparently communicated on its website. The ombudsman also found insufficient evidence that Mr M actually cancelled a holiday as a result of the incident.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website