More than 100 bank branches are scheduled for closure in 2026 as the trend of moving away from traditional high street banking accelerates. This year, closure dates have been confirmed for 73 branches across major banks like Lloyds, NatWest, Santander, Halifax, and Bank of Scotland.
Additionally, 29 branches have proposed closure without finalizing dates, bringing the total number of expected closures to 102. Among these, Lloyds leads with 40 branches nearing closure or awaiting finalization. Santander, Bank of Scotland, Halifax, and NatWest follow with 18, 17, 15, and 7 branches set to cease operations, respectively.
Last year, Lloyds and Santander initiated a series of closures attributing the decision to the shift of customer preferences towards digital banking over in-person services. By the end of this month, 35 branches will have closed, with two more closures in February and an additional 23 in March.
The remaining closures are scheduled for July and October or are pending confirmation. Cornwall has been significantly impacted by the banks’ retreat, with four branches set to close this year and two without specified closure dates. Over the past few years, several closures have occurred, totaling 45 branches.
Scotland is expected to lose 20 banks, Wales five, and Northern Ireland one. In England, the South East and South West regions face the highest number of closures, with 17 branches shutting down in each area.
Since February 2022, major banking groups have been committed to evaluating the impact of each closure, resulting in the closure or planned closure of 2,065 branches. The LINK initiative ensures that vulnerable customers and small businesses are not left behind in the transition to digital banking.
When a community loses its local bank, banking hubs or free ATMs are established to address the gap. The shift to digital banking is acknowledged by industry leaders, emphasizing the importance of maintaining cash services for those who rely on them. More banking hubs are being established to cater to customers of various high street banks in one centralized location. These hubs, along with new cash solutions, aim to provide convenient access to banking services for businesses and consumers.