More than 100 bank branches are expected to shut down in 2026 as the trend of moving away from physical locations on the high street continues.
This year, closure dates have been confirmed for 73 branches of major banks such as Lloyds, NatWest, Santander, Halifax, and Bank of Scotland. Additionally, 29 branches have announced closure plans without finalizing dates, totaling 102 closures. Lloyds is at the forefront with 40 branches nearing closure or awaiting a set end date.
Santander, Bank of Scotland, Halifax, and NatWest are also set to close 18, 17, 15, and 7 branches respectively. The decision to close branches was attributed to the shift in customer behavior towards mobile banking services.
By the end of this month, 35 branches will have closed, with two more closures in February and 23 in March. The remaining closures are scheduled for July and October, or are pending confirmation. Cornwall has been significantly impacted by the closures, with four banks confirmed for closure and two awaiting final dates this year.
Last year saw 13 closures, with 6 in 2024, 14 in 2023, and 6 in 2022, totaling 45 closures. The Highland council area in Scotland is set to lose six banks this year, with two yet to announce closure dates. Scotland will lose a total of 20 banks, Wales five, and Northern Ireland one. In England, the South East and South West regions are the most affected, with 17 closures each.
Since February 2022, major banking groups have been committed to assessing the impact of closures voluntarily, resulting in 2,065 branch closures or planned closures. The LINK initiative ensures that vulnerable customers and small businesses are not left behind in the transition to digital banking.
When communities are left without a local bank due to closures, banking hubs or free ATMs are established to provide services. The importance of cash remains evident, with over £76 billion withdrawn from LINK cash machines last year.
As banking trends evolve towards digital services, banking hubs are becoming more prevalent, with over 200 hubs opened, including 100 in 2025 alone. The hubs cater to customers from various high street banks and provide essential cash services and deposit solutions.
Gareth Oakley, CEO of Cash Access UK, highlighted the positive impact of banking hubs in serving customers who rely on cash and face-to-face banking services. These hubs, alongside new cash solutions, aim to facilitate easy access to cash for businesses and consumers.