Britain’s 30 banking deserts without even a bank branch

More than 30 areas of the UK will become ‘banking deserts’ where no bank branches remain open by the end of this year. The number of UK bank branches to close in the past nine years has passed 6,000, according to Which?

The consumer group said the landmark highlights the impact this “avalanche” of closures has had on high streets and the need to provide replacement services for the millions of people who rely on them.

The wave of closures means 34 parliamentary constituencies either have no bank branches now or will lose their last bank before the end of this year. That will leave no more banks to serve a population of 121,000 people in Mid Bedfordshire, 117,000 in Dagenham and Rainham and 117,000 in Erith and Thamesmead.

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In total, more than three million people will have no bank near where they live by the end of the year.
You can find out if you live in a banking desert using our interactive map.

Which? said eight Barclays branches were closing their doors on Friday, bringing the total by the end of May 17 to 6,005. This equated to more than 60% of the bank branch network in Which? began tracking closures in 2015.

The eight Barclays closures relate to branches in Alperton in Wembley, London: Andover in Hampshire; Bangor in County Down, Northern Ireland; Bracknell in Berkshire; Hornchurch in Essex; Inverness in the Highlands of Scotland; Liverpool; and Streatham in London.

Barclays has closed 1,216 branches, according to Which? 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 .

Which? said that 200 closures by various banks are already scheduled for the rest of 2024. Currently, another 24 bank branch closures have been scheduled for 2025, although more are expected to be announced later this year and next, he added.

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.

There are various initiatives to help bridge the gaps in the cash access network as bank branches close. The 50th banking hub was opened recently. Banking hubs allow banks to share facilities. They have a counter service operated by the Post Office which allows customers to carry out routine banking transactions.

The Post Office also recently reported that cash transactions at its branches totaled a record £3.48 billion in April. The Post Office has an agreement with many banks, allowing their customers to do daily banking at its counters.

With the general election looming, which? said it believes the next government should commit to providing at least 200 shared banking centers within the first two years of the election. It added that as bank branch closures are likely to continue in the coming years, any target may need to be revised upwards to keep pace.

Sam Richardson, deputy editor of Which? Money, 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 entirely, 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 to all our customers.

“Where the level of demand does not support a branch, we maintain a personal presence through our Barclays Local network, which lives in over 350 locations, based in libraries, town halls, mobile vans and banking platforms.

“We’re also supporting access to cash with our no-buy cashback service, 24-hour ATMs and working alongside the Post Office and Cash Access UK.”

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. Balancing this change in the way we bank means firms have to make difficult decisions about whether to keep their branches.

“The industry has invested heavily in alternative services, including thousands of post offices where people can do much of their day-to-day banking.

“In addition, the industry is working to implement shared banking hubs to bring together different firms to support their customers.
“There is also significant investment underway to ensure access to cash, including free ATMs and no-purchase cashback. If you are concerned about your local bank closing branches, please contact them and they will help you find the best alternative for your needs.”

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