A new map shows two dozen bank branches are set to close across the UK next month. Closures have been ordered by several major banks, including Lloyds, NatWest, Halifax, Santander, and Barclays. A total of 24 banks are set to shut in November, with branches affected in England, Wales and Scotland. This includes major locations such as Bristol, Manchester, and Sheffield. The latest wave of closures starts on November 3 with the Bank of Scotland branch in Thornhill, Dumfries and Galloway, closing, with more dotted throughout the month.
Closures continue the next day in Coventry, Bedfordshire, Hounslow, and Plymouth. More than 500 banks will have shuttered in 2025 before the end of the year. There are already dozens more planned for 2026. Banks and building societies have closed more than 6,500 branches in the UK since January 2015, according to data collected by consumer magazine Which?. This represents two-thirds (66%) of branches that were open a decade ago.
This is the equivalent of around 53 bank branch closures per month. The House of Commons Library said in a report that the provision of cash and banking services had fallen partly because of “changing consumer behaviour” and the move towards online banking and digital payments.
The report also noted that the reduction was being “driven by industry changes such as the reduction in the amount ATM operators earn when ATMs are used”.
It added: “A reduction in cash and banking service availability falls hardest on some of the more vulnerable groups in society, including the elderly, digitally excluded people and those with low incomes.
“Additionally, a reduction in banking services can make it harder for businesses to process cash, potentially leading some to stop taking cash as payment. This can in turn lead to further difficulty for people who rely on cash.”
Since February 2022, all the major banking groups have committed to a voluntary agreement to assess the impact of every closure.
The LINK initiative was set up to ensure vulnerable customers and small businesses were not left behind in the switch to cashless payments and virtual banking.
As part of this, when closures leave communities without any local bank, banking hubs or free ATMs are set up to fill the gap.
Chris Ashton, LINK’s chief commercial officer, said: “It’s our job to protect access to cash, whether that’s through a free to use ATM, Post Office or increasingly through banking hubs.
“The good news is that when any bank branch closes or if a community asks us to assess their local area, we can recommend new services. That could include enhancing existing services like the Post Office or new hubs. To date, we’ve recommended 246.
“We know that not everyone can or is able to use digital and that’s why we will continue to protect access to cash for as long as people need it.”
Meanwhile, Gareth Oakley, CEO of Cash Access UK, added: “While more people may be more comfortable or choose to pay or bank for things digitally, we understand how important access to cash and basic banking services are for millions of people who prefer to use cash or are not yet comfortable to use digital.
“The good news is that we’re delivering new services to make sure access to cash is maintained. This includes almost 200 banking hubs and over 100 deposit services, which crucially allow businesses to readily access or deposit cash. Two hubs are opening on average every week and we hope to have the 200th open before Christmas.”
Here are all of the bank branches that are set to close in November:
Lloyds Bank
- Biggleswade
- Blandford Forum
- Bristol – Bishopsworth – Church Road
- Chard
- Coventry – Foleshill
- Debden
- Dunstable
- East Grinstead
- Feltham
- Ferndown
- Hexham
- Manchester – Newton Heath
- Plymstock
- Pontardawe
- Sheffield – Woodhouse
- Shipston-on-Stour