Lloyds Banking Group Announces Major Branch Closure Programme
In a significant move reshaping the UK's banking landscape, Lloyds Banking Group has confirmed plans to close an additional 95 branches across the country. This latest announcement affects customers of Lloyds Bank, Halifax, and Bank of Scotland, with closures scheduled between May 2026 and March 2027.
Details of the Closure Programme
The newly confirmed programme will see 53 Lloyds branches, 31 Halifax branches, and 11 Bank of Scotland locations shut their doors. This follows the group's ongoing closure of 49 branches by October under earlier plans. Once all previously announced closures are completed, Lloyds Banking Group's branch network will be reduced to approximately 610 locations nationwide.
These latest closures come after the group's decision in January 2021 to close 136 branches by March 2026. The banking giant is not alone in this trend, with NatWest also confirming it will close 32 branches. In total, 230 bank branches are now scheduled to shut in 2026, with a further 15 closures planned for 2027 and 28 more without confirmed end dates.
Geographical Impact Across the UK
Most of the recently announced closures will take place in England, where 108 branches are due to shut. Scotland will lose 11 branches and Wales eight. Within England, the areas most affected include:
- London with 25 closures
- The South East with 17 closures
- The North West with 13 closures
- The West Midlands with 12 closures
Four of the West Midlands closures will specifically impact Birmingham, affecting branches in Blackheath, Bordesley Green, Highters Heath, and Upper Kingstanding.
The Shift Towards Banking Hubs
Since February 2022, when major banking groups committed to a voluntary agreement to assess the impact of every closure, a total of 2,236 branches have either closed or announced plans to shut. This equates to an average of at least one closure per day, or eight per week.
The LINK initiative was established to review each closure and ensure vulnerable customers and small businesses are not left without access to essential banking services as the sector moves towards digital and cashless payments. When communities are left without a local bank branch, banking hubs or free-to-use ATMs are introduced to fill the gap.
Nick Quin, chief corporate affairs officer at ATM network LINK, commented: "While more people choose to use contactless and digital payments, there are still millions who rely on and prefer to pay using cash. Alongside ATMs and Post Offices, banking hubs continue to help people and businesses to readily access and deposit cash."
Gareth Oakley, chief executive of Cash Access UK, added: "We're delighted to see the difference that banking hubs have made for communities across the UK. It's a clear reminder that while more people are choosing to bank digitally, cash and face-to-face services still remain essential for many."
Cash Access UK has opened 212 hubs to date and continues to roll out these services in communities that need them most. Customers can visit the hubs any day of the week for everyday banking transactions, with community bankers available on specific days for more complex enquiries.
Checking Local Impact
Customers concerned about how these closures might affect them can check whether branches near them are impacted using an interactive map published alongside the closure list. The banking sector's transformation continues as digital banking becomes increasingly prevalent, while banking hubs work to maintain essential face-to-face services for those who need them.
