Lloyds Banking Group has confirmed a significant wave of branch closures this month, dealing a fresh blow to the UK's high streets. The financial giant is set to close a total of 16 Lloyds Bank branches during January 2026, as it continues a strategic pivot towards online and mobile banking services.
The Full List of January Closures
The closures are being rolled out in stages throughout the month. Three branches were the first to go, shutting their doors on New Year's Day. These were located in Alfreton, Havant, and New Addington. Two more are scheduled to close this week.
According to reports, a further five branches will cease operations next week. The affected sites are:
- Ammanford - January 12
- Bideford - January 13
- Fleet - January 13
- Chester-le-Street - January 14
- Ivybridge - January 14
Finally, from the week beginning Monday, January 19, six more branches will be permanently shuttered. This final group includes:
- Hedge End - January 21
- Hedon - January 28
- Lewes - January 19
- Penzance - January 21
- Petersfield - January 21
- Swadlincote - January 20
Part of a Wider Industry Trend
This move by Lloyds is not an isolated incident but part of a profound transformation across the UK banking sector. Data from consumer group Which? reveals a staggering decline in physical banking infrastructure, with over 6,600 bank and building society branches disappearing since January 2015.
Lloyds Banking Group, which also operates Halifax and Bank of Scotland, stated that changing customer behaviour is driving this shift. A spokesperson told a personal finance publication: "The way people are banking has changed, with over 21 million customers choosing our apps to manage their money."
What Alternatives Are Available?
The bank emphasises that it is expanding choice alongside the branch closures. It points customers towards a network of alternative options for everyday banking needs. These include using any remaining Lloyds, Halifax, or Bank of Scotland branch, the Post Office network, or the emerging Banking Hubs.
Customers can also deposit cash at over 30,000 PayPoint locations nationwide. For more complex needs, the group says it is growing its team of Community Bankers, who will operate from local community centres or Banking Hubs to offer face-to-face support. The location of the nearest Community Banker can be found on the Lloyds Bank website.
While Post Office branches can handle cash withdrawals, deposits, and balance enquiries, they cannot provide services like opening new accounts or processing loan applications.
The January closures represent just a portion of the group's wider closure programme, with numerous other branches across the Halifax, Lloyds Bank, and Bank of Scotland networks slated to shut in the coming years as part of this ongoing strategic transformation.
