Over 100 bank branches are expected to close in 2026 as the trend of moving away from traditional high street locations continues.
This year, closure dates have been confirmed for 73 branches of major banks such as Lloyds, NatWest, Santander, Halifax, and Bank of Scotland.
An additional 29 branches have declared closure plans without finalizing dates, bringing the total to 102 closures. Lloyds is at the forefront with 40 branches nearing closure or awaiting scheduling.
Santander will close 18 branches, Bank of Scotland 17, Halifax 15, and NatWest 7 in the upcoming closures. Last year, Lloyds and Santander already announced several closures attributing the decision to the shift towards digital banking.
By the end of this month, 35 branches will have closed, with two more closures in February and an additional 23 in March. The remaining closures are expected in July and October, with some dates pending confirmation. Cornwall is notably impacted, with four closures already set and two more pending dates.
Last year saw 13 closures, with six in 2024, 14 in 2023, and six in 2022, totaling 45 branches lost. Scotland’s Highland council area is projected to lose six banks this year, including two awaiting closure dates.
Overall, Scotland is on track to lose 20 banks, while Wales and Northern Ireland are set to lose 5 and 1 banks, respectively. In England, the South East and South West are most affected, with 17 branches closing in each region.
Since February 2022, major banking groups have been committed to assessing the impact of closures, resulting in the closure or announced closure of 2,065 branches.
Initiatives like LINK are ensuring vulnerable customers and small businesses are not left behind in the transition to digital banking by establishing banking hubs or free ATMs in communities left without a local bank.
Nick Quin, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at LINK, stated that the rise in digital banking is impacting cash usage, but the importance of cash remains, with over £76 billion withdrawn from LINK cash machines last year. LINK will evaluate closures to determine if additional cash services are needed to support those who rely on cash.
Gareth Oakley, CEO of Cash Access UK, highlighted the shift to digital banking and the positive impact of banking hubs, with over 200 hubs opened, including 100 in 2025 alone. These hubs provide services for customers of major banks in one location, enhancing access to cash services for businesses and consumers.
As more people opt for digital banking, the rise of banking hubs and new cash solutions aims to ensure convenient access to cash services for those who still rely on cash and face-to-face banking.