More than 100 bank branches are scheduled to close in 2026, continuing the trend of diminishing presence on the high street. Closure dates have been confirmed for 73 branches of major banks, such as Lloyds, NatWest, Santander, Halifax, and Bank of Scotland this year. Additionally, 29 branches have announced closure plans without final dates set, totaling 102 closures. Lloyds is at the forefront with 40 branches nearing closure or awaiting finalization.
Among the upcoming closures are 18 Santander branches, 17 Bank of Scotland branches, 15 Halifax branches, and seven NatWest branches. Last year, Lloyds and Santander embarked on a closure spree, attributing the decision to customers’ transition towards mobile banking over in-person services.
By the end of this month, 35 branches will have disappeared from high streets, with two more set to close in February and an additional 23 in March. The remaining closures are slated for July and October or are pending confirmation. Cornwall has been significantly impacted by the retreat of major banks, with four closures scheduled and two pending dates this year.
Last year witnessed 13 branch closures, with six in 2024, 14 in 2023, and six in 2022, totaling a loss of 45 banks. Scotland’s Highland council area is anticipated to lose six banks this year, including two without closure dates announced. Scotland is projected to lose 20 banks, with Wales facing five closures and Northern Ireland one. Among the 76 remaining closures in England, the South East and South West will see the most significant impact, each with 17 bank branches shutting down.
Since February 2022, major banking groups have been committed to assessing the impact of closures voluntarily, resulting in the closure or announcement of closure plans for a total of 2,065 branches. The LINK initiative was established to oversee each closure, ensuring that vulnerable customers and small businesses are not left behind in the transition to digital and virtual banking.
In areas where closures leave communities without local banks, banking hubs and free ATMs are established to address the void. Despite the shift towards digital banking, cash remains crucial, with over £76bn withdrawn from LINK cash machines in the previous year. LINK and Cash Access UK have emphasized their commitment to protecting the cash infrastructure to support individuals who still rely on physical currency and traditional banking services.