Brits will soon find an update on the high street after Nationwide announced a major expansion of a key scheme following its takeover of Virgin Money.

The building society is rolling out dedicated Safe Spaces across 42 former Virgin Money branches, taking the total number of locations offering the service to 475 nationwide. The move means Nationwide now provides more Safe Spaces than any other financial services organisation in Britain, with the facilities available in branches where people experiencing domestic abuse can seek confidential help, contact specialist charities or simply find a place of safety away from an abuser.

The expansion comes as England plays in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with campaigners warning that incidents of domestic abuse can rise sharply around major football tournaments.

Research from Warwick Business School found alcohol-related domestic abuse reports increased by 47% on days when England won a World Cup or European Championship match.

Separate figures show police recorded 351 football-related domestic abuse incidents during Euro 2024, an 82% rise on the 193 reported during Euro 2021.

Nationwide said the latest rollout was part of its wider commitment to tackling both physical and financial abuse. The society’s enlarged branch network follows its acquisition of Virgin Money, creating the UK’s biggest branch network. Nationwide has pledged to keep all branches open until at least 2030.

The Safe Spaces scheme, operated nationally by domestic abuse charity Hestia, provides private areas within branches where visitors can access support services, make phone calls and obtain information about specialist organisations.

Of the 475 Safe Spaces now available through Nationwide and Virgin Money branches, 82 are located in towns where Nationwide operates the last remaining bank or building society branch.

Alongside the branch facilities, Nationwide has introduced measures designed to help victims of financial abuse, including an in-app feature that allows customers to block payment references from individuals sending threatening or coercive messages through bank transfers.

Mandy Beech, Nationwide’s director of retail services, said: “We urge anyone experiencing abuse to reach out – our in-branch Safe Spaces are here to support you.

“We know that a bank or building society might not be the most obvious or conventional place to turn in a moment of crisis, but through our charity partners and the tools we have built, there are real, practical things we can do to help people get the support they need.”

Sue Harper, deputy director for domestic abuse and sexual violence prevention at Hestia, said existing abusive behaviour often intensifies during major football tournaments.

She said: “While football does not cause abuse, we know that existing abusive behaviour often intensifies on match days. Heightened emotions and increased alcohol consumption can escalate harm, leaving victim-survivors dreading match days and feeling unsafe in their own homes.”

Nationwide is backing Hestia’s #SupportIsATeamSport campaign throughout the World Cup and is encouraging people to download the Bright Sky app, which provides confidential advice and details of local support services.

The app also allows users to locate their nearest Safe Space in a Nationwide or Virgin Money branch.

The building society said more than 600 branches have received domestic abuse awareness training to help staff recognise signs of abuse and direct people towards specialist support.

Co-op will extend its online delivery hours across 180 stores across England and Scotland in June to cater to World Cup fans. Online orders, which usually close at 10pm, will stay open for around an hour after the final whistle for six group-stage matches with late kick offs.

When England is playing Panama on June 27, shoppers will be able to order until 1am, and Scottish fans will be able to order until 3.30am for the game against Haiti on June 14. Co-op said around 40 million people will be within reach of the participating stores, located in towns and cities such as London, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Brighton, Bristol, Aberdeen and Glasgow.

Delivery partners will fulfil the orders alongside its own service, including Uber Eats, Just Eat, Deliveroo and Amazon.

The hours will also be extended on June 17 and June 23 in England, when the team plays against Croatia and Ghana respectively, with a late 9pm kick-off.

In Scotland, participating stores will also remain open for delivery late into the night on June 19 when the team plays Morocco, and June 24 for the Brazil game. Both games have 11pm kick-offs.

Co-op retail director Kate McCrae said the grocer made the change to meet demand, having often experienced a surge in orders during national sporting events.

She said: “Sport is often a time for people to come together, and we see a significant spike in QComm orders when the big national sporting moments occur,” reports the Grocery Gazette.

“This summer, working with our delivery partners, we are supporting our shoppers by extending trading hours in 180 stores, often into the early morning hours, so they can be ‘fed and watered’ without missing a second of the football action.”

Co-op said the approach can deliver sales uplifts of up to 1,000% on selected offers, while increasing online participation by up to 30-50% as fans re-stock during the game.

The grocer will also launch a World Cup promotion for members, selling two pizzas and a pack of beer, including zero per cent beer or soft drink options, for £5. Non-members will pay £6.

McCrae said Co-op had undertaken “considerable supply planning” to ensure game essentials will be available, such as drinks and shareable food.

The extended online delivery hours will apply across participating stores during England and Scotland’s group stage fixtures.

Pubs grappling with rising costs will be able to stay open longer during this year’s World Cup as part of the Government’s efforts to offset pressure on the sector. The Treasury announced the special dispensation on Tuesday, alongside planned measures to allow boozers to open late for other big events such as Eurovision. The World Cup extension will enable pubs in England and Wales to stay open late without applying for a Temporary Event Notice for home nation games until 1am for quarter-finals, semi-finals and matches starting at or before 9pm.

Landlords will also be able to stay open until 2am for any quarter-finals that start at 10pm. The World Cup will kick off on June 11, and the first three of England’s matches in the group stage will begin at 9pm and 10pm. England and Scotland have also already qualified for dates in North America, however, meaning fixtures in the round of 32 won’t be available to watch in the UK until midnight or 2am.

Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland could also qualify for the tournament if they win their play-off fixtures.

Speaking during a statement in the House of Commons to announce the support package for business rates for pubs, Treasury Secretary Dan Tomlinson said: “I can also announce today that pubs and other licensed venues will be able to open until 1am or 2am depending on when the game starts for home nation games in the later stages of the men’s football World Cup this summer.

“And we will legislate to increase the number of temporary events notices for pubs and other hospitality venues, whether that is to help them screen World Cup games or other community and cultural events.”

However, the Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park, Sarah Olney, said people who were not football fans should also be catered to.

Ms Olney said: “We have a diverse and varied hospitality sector in my constituency of Richmond Park, and it supports lots of different communities, including those who don’t go to pubs – parents of young children, people who don’t drink, faith groups, dare I say it, people who don’t want to watch the football.

“And so they have different needs, they want to go to cafes, they want to go soft play centres. So why is the Government focusing this relief just on pubs?”

Mr Tomlinson replied: “(Ms Olney) may not wish to watch the football, that’s fine, that’s her decision.

“We’re also consulting, she’d be interested to know, on whether we can extend these longer licensing powers to other events. So she’ll have to let me know if there are other events that she would like to go and watch in a pub, and they can be part of the consultation.”