Santander has now published the rules for the 2026 High-Performance Bonus Scheme, with bonus payments due in March 2027 for eligible colleagues. While the scheme remains linked to both company and individual performance, members should take time to understand the eligibility rules and recent changes.

One important change is that the sickness and parental leave absence trigger for bonus proration has increased from 10 days to 28 calendar days. Additional clarity has also been provided for colleagues affected by redundancy, retirement, fixed-term contract changes, jury service and death-in-service.

Members should pay particular attention to the rules around leaving the bank. To receive a bonus, employees must still be employed when the bonus is paid in March 2027. Crucially, if you resign or are under notice before the bonus payment date, you will not be eligible for a bonus, even if you worked throughout the whole of 2026. The rules specifically state that any employee who has given contractual notice to terminate their employment on or before the bonus payment date will not qualify. For example, a colleague who resigns in January 2027 with a leaving date of April 2027 would still lose their bonus entitlement.

Advance encourages all members to read the full Scheme Rules carefully and seek advice if they believe the rules have been incorrectly applied to their circumstances. Advance also reminds members that your year-end score will continue to be used as a contributing factor towards your overall bonus.  Whilst the individual score cannot be appealed, your rating grade can be appealed to the next level, which may result in the rating increasing or simply the score increasing if your evidence shows you should have been scored higher, even if this does not change the Rating Descriptor.

More details will follow as we enter the year-end process, but Advance Union supported more rating appeals than ever before last year (even though the bank had fewer) and had a strong success rate, demonstrating the value of being in a union and professional representation.