Lloyds Bank has alerted customers to an important word they may want to note if they are struggling to access their funds.

The bank told a saver stuck in the emergency situation and waiting for a response after messaging the mobile app, that they should send the word ‘agent’ to ensure they were in the queue and would get a prompt response.

The customer got in touch over X asking for help as they were stuck abroad in South America and in “desperate” need of accessing their funds.

They shared an image of some messages from their phone they had already sent to Lloyds about the issue, where they had urged “Please can this be urgent, am abroad and stuck”.

Lloyds replied to try and reassure the customer: “You appear to be messaging our colleagues on the mobile app. Please be assured that they will have access to your account and will be happy to look at this with you.”

They also told the saver they could call the bank’s helpline 0345 300 0000 between 8am and 6pm daily for assistance.

The customer replied to say they had been waiting seven hours for a response on the online chat, voicing in despair: “I’m really stuffed aren’t I?”

Lloyds apologised for the issue and offered this tip to help them get an answer: “Please send the word ‘agent’ to the messaging service, this should ensure you’re in a queue.”

The bank also sent a link to a webpage where customers can lodge a complaint. The Lloyds website also has a common questions section where you may be able to find the answer you are looking for.

If your card has been declined, this could be for one of several reasons, such as if your card has expired or if it is a new card, it may not have been activated yet.

Another thing to check if a payment doesn’t go through is that you have put in your details correctly, such as the three-digit CVV number on the back of your card.

It may also be the case that there is a temporary card freeze on your card. If you are registered on the app, you can check there if you have applied for a card freeze.

Lloyds Bank is one of several providers currently offering a free cash payment to incentivise people to switch over.

You can get £200 paid into your account when you open a Club Lloyds, Club Lloyds Silver or Club Lloyds Platinum account.

To get the funds, you will need to make the switch using the Current Account Switching Service. The offer ends on December 10.