Six major UK high street banks have been hit with the highest number of complaints, resulting in customers receiving average payouts of £215. The figures, covering the last six months of 2025, show Lloyds Banking Group and Santander topping the list.
Complaint figures for each bank
According to data from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), a total of 187,516 complaints were made about Lloyds Banking Group. Lloyds Bank itself received 90,837 complaints, while its subsidiary Bank of Scotland had 79,508. Santander came in third with 124,919 complaints, though the article later states 78,349 for Santander, likely a discrepancy. Barclays was fourth with 72,000 complaints, HSBC fifth with 67,308, and NatWest sixth with 61,842.
Payouts and upheld complaints
Banks paid out a total of £236.2 million during the period, with an average payout of £215 per complaint. However, only 55.5% of complaints were upheld by the FCA, down from 57.9% in the previous six months.
Bank responses
A Lloyds spokesperson said: “We care about getting things right for customers and, when something doesn’t work as it should, we listen and learn.” A Santander spokesperson added: “Santander is committed to delivering the best possible service for customers. We review complaints data regularly to identify areas where customer experience can be improved and to inform ongoing changes to our processes.” Santander is also set to take over rival TSB in the coming months. Lloyds has warned that the economic fallout from the Middle East conflict could cost it £151 million, due to rising unemployment, inflation, and a housing market slowdown.
List of most complained-about banks
- Lloyds Bank – 90,837 complaints
- Bank of Scotland – 79,508 complaints
- Santander – 78,349 complaints
- Barclays – 72,000 complaints
- HSBC – 67,308 complaints
- NatWest – 61,842 complaints
