But why do they still have the 0845 number at all?

Is it just for the 0.001% of BT customers on the Light User scheme?

The above might have been a better generic outcome to the consultation.

Better still might have been:

Call us on <<01/02 number>>.
Or, if you want to pay x pence/minute extra, try <<084/087 number>> and enjoy the muzak. Average queuing time = y minutes. (if, and only if, you're on the light user scheme outside the local area, this may be cheaper)

Natwest and friends would have hated it!

I agree - I am going to close my account.

I think this thread is going off subject, however, before it does, I have two points to make.

Firstly, I deal with NatWest regularly in respect of business and have many direct dial phone numbers.  I’m not able to publish them as they are to specific departments.  Yesterday, I was dealing with an office (not on the “official” 0870 number) and had a conversation with a person and we discussed the 0870 costs.  She said that she might want to phone me back and naturally, I quoted the 0871 number that I have acquired.  I think she smiled.

Regarding Nationwide, I agree that their cards are cheaper to use overseas. However, in respect of their credit cards, they say that because they are not a bank, BACS payments to them have to go through a third party.  This means that instead of assuming that they receive cleared funds on the third or fourth day after instructing your bank to pay them, they maintain that it takes longer.  This is even after the payment appears on the downloaded internet statement.  If you pay by cheque into a nationwide Branch, your bank account should normally be debited on the third working day after the cheque was paid in.  With Nationwide, they seem to clear their cheques differently and one’s bank account is debited on the day after payment.  I’d like to know how they do this.

My last BACS payment to them has allowed four days for the funds to reach them. If they charge me a penalty, I will then have grounds for complaint to the appropriate authority.  Furthermore, they recently reduced the time between the statement date and the payment date by around 10 days.  This means that on receipt of their statement I have only a few days to make the payment and it is especially difficult if there is a bank holiday in the way.

Sorry about that, but that’s my moan out of the way.

I'm fully aware that a DD could be set up and I know how the system works (I am, in fact a Direct Debit originator).   I feel however, that I like to have control of my own bank account and the amount I pay off my credit card balance. 

As an originator, I request money by way of a Direct Debit with, say, Monday's date, I will receive that amount the next day.  The payees account will be debited on that same day so that there is no time when the money is lost in a "black hole"

I have spoken to Nationwide concerning payments to them by direct debit and get the impression that they will collect the amount one day before the prescribed day for payment.   

I'm also aware that when I make a BACS payment, my account is debited on day one and the money stays with that bank until day three before being transmitted.  I understand that HSBC and Lloyds TSB are making some changes to their system this year in this respect.