Barclays, NatWest and Lloyds major changes affect millions of people

A spate of bank branch closures means more than three million people in the UK will now have no bank near where they live by the end of the year. More than 6,000 branches have closed in the past nine years, according to consumer group Which?, creating “banking deserts” across the country.

The wave of closures means 33 parliamentary constituencies either have no bank branches now or will lose their last bank before the end of this year. Which? said Barclays branches were closing on Friday, bringing the total up to the end of May 17 to 6,005.

And it means there will be no more banks serving a population of 121,000 people in Mid Bedfordshire, 117,000 in Dagenham and Rainham and 117,000 in Erith and Thamesmead. Barclays has closed 1,216 branches, according to Which?

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NatWest Group, which includes NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank, has closed 1,360 branches and Lloyds Banking Group, made up of Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland, has closed 1,146 sites, the consumer group said . They added that 200 closures by various banks are already scheduled for the rest of 2024.

While millions of consumers have made the switch to digital banking, there remains a significant number of people who are not yet ready or willing to make the leap, underscoring the need for affordable alternatives, Which? said. The group’s Sam Richardson said: “This round of over 6,000 bank branch closures in just nine years underlines the seismic shift that has taken place in our banking habits and the character of the British high street.

“While some may hardly notice the closure of their local branch as they move seamlessly to online banking, for others who rely on face-to-face services, the impact can be devastating. This is not about stopping closures altogether, but about ensuring that essential banking services remain accessible to those who still rely on them.”

A Barclays spokesman said: “As branch visits continue to fall, we need to adapt to provide the best service for all our customers.” A spokesman for trade association UK Finance said: “More and more people are using telephone, mobile and internet banking and fewer people are visiting bank branches regularly.