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During March, across the UK the closure of 47 branches of NatWest, 22 branches of Halifax, and 21 Lloyds were announced. Bank of Scotland also said it was shutting 10 branches, and RBS one branch. That adds up to 101 bank closures announced during the month – and they come on top of more than 200 closures already announced for this year.
It now means that 346 banks either have already closed or will close this year – the equivalent of nearly one per day – with another six banks scheduled to shut in 2025 and the final closure date of 15 banks yet to be confirmed. Of closures scheduled for 2024, the loss of 106 banks will leave the surrounding communities with no branches of any bank nearby.
Announcing the closures on its website, NatWest said: “Banking has changed dramatically in recent years, with an increased demand for mobile and online services, as our customers benefit from a faster and easier way to bank. Closing a branch is a decision we take very seriously.
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“We know it can affect those less confident with alternatives we offer. We’ll always work hard to guide and support you through the changes and find the best way to serve you from now on.”
Halifax – owned by the Lloyds Banking Group that also includes Lloyds – said: “When making changes to our branch network, we always look to understand the impact on our customers – including how they continue to access banking services. Because of this, we may sometimes have a Community Banker visit the area after the branch closes. Or as part of an independent review, a Banking Hub may be set up in a nearby location.”
You can see which banks are closing or have closed in your area using our interactive map
Since February 2022 – when a voluntary agreement saw the major banking groups commit to assessing the impact of every closure – 1,426 banks have either shut or announced their intention to close. Around a quarter of those closures (387, or 27%) have left the surrounding community with no branch of any bank nearby.
The LINK initiative to assess the impact of closures – which was agreed by all the major banks including Barclays, HSBC, Natwest, Lloyds, and Halifax – was set up to ensure vulnerable customers and small businesses were not left behind in the switch to cashless payments and virtual banking.
When closures leave communities without any local bank, banking hubs or free ATMs are set up to fill the gap. The charity Age Concern however, has hit out at the “continuing avalanche of bank branch closures” which means there will be “considerably fewer opportunities for face-to-face banking than there were even just a couple of years ago”.
Research carried out by the charity found that four million older people with a bank account do not manage their finances online and are “at a high risk of digital exclusion”. Charity director Caroline Abrahams added: “The disappearance of face-to-face banking risks cutting a significant minority of the older population out of an essential service, making it difficult if not impossible for them to manage their money and maintain their independence.”
Nick Quin, head of financial Inclusion at LINK, said: “Shared banking hubs are opening on high streets across the country to protect access to cash and other banking services. Just last week LINK announced three new banking hubs, meaning a total of 120 communities are now set to benefit from shared hubs with many more to come.
“LINK assesses all communities following a bank branch closure and if additional services are needed, we can recommend a banking hub, deposit services and of course a free cash machine. LINK’s cash locator is also a helpful tool to help you find your nearest free to use cash machine and Post Office.”
