UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Lloyds Banking Group will shut 49 UK branches between January and October 2026, affecting Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland. Link will open 11 hubs, with campaigners warning of access concerns.
As My London News reported, Lloyds Banking Group has confirmed it will shut 49 branches across the UK between January and October 2026. The closures will affect Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland outlets.
The decision follows the ongoing shift towards online and mobile banking, which has reduced the number of people using local branches. The group stated that all employees affected will be offered other positions in nearby branches or elsewhere in the business.
What do Lloyds branch closures and new hubs mean for UK banking?
Link, the UK’s cash access network, announced it will recommend 11 new banking hubs in response to the closures. These hubs will give customers of different banks access to cash and personal support in one place.
Campaigners warn that closing more branches could leave older residents and people in rural areas without easy access to financial services. The announcement comes just days after NatWest confirmed that 46 of its mobile branches across the NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland brands will close in January 2025.
A Lloyds Banking Group spokesperson said:
“The way people are banking has changed, with over 21 million customers choosing our apps to manage their money.
We’re providing more choice than ever before, bringing together the best in digital convenience with our people.
Alongside our app, our customers can use any Lloyds, Halifax or Bank of Scotland branch, the Post Office or banking hubs for their everyday banking, and deposit cash at over 30,000 PayPoint locations.”
The group will close 26 Lloyds branches, 10 Halifax and 13 Bank of Scotland sites. It will be left with 705 branches – 359 Lloyds, 269 Halifax and 77 Bank of Scotland. Here is the list of branches:
- Alfreton, Derbyshire – January 19
- Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, Wales – January 12
- Bideford, Devon – January 13
- Harborne, West Midlands – October 9
- Camborne, Cornwall – October 7
- Chepstow, Monmouthshire, Wales – October 7
- Chester-le-Street, Co Durham – January 14
- Deal, Kent – January 22
- Fleet, Hampshire – January 13
- Gillingham, Dorset – January 8
- Gorseinon, Swansea, Wales – October 12
- Havant, Hampshire – January 19
- Hedge End, Hampshire – January 21
- Hedon, Yorkshire – January 28
- Ivybridge, Devon – January 14
- Lewes, East Sussex – January 19
- Mitcham, London – January 8
- New Addington, London – January 14
- Okehampton, Devon – March 25
- Penzance, Cornwall – January 21
- Petersfield, Hampshire – January 21
- Ryde, Isle of Wight – January 21
- Stamford, Lincolnshire – January 20
- Swadlincote, Derbyshire – January 20
- Totnes, Devon – January 8
- Totton, Hampshire – January 19
- List of Halifax branches closing and their closure dates:
- Buxton, Derbyshire – January 20
- Camborne, Cornwall – October 7
- Deal, Kent – January 22
- Hastings, East Sussex – January 22
- Havant, Hampshire – January 15
- Middleton, Greater Manchester – January 8
- Seaford, East Sussex – January 19
- Skipton, Yorkshire – January 26
- Wandsworth, London – January 15
- Yeovil, Somerset – January 12
Danni Hewson, Head of Financial Analysis at AJ Bell, said:
“Investors like to see a business taking costs seriously, so it’s no surprise that the news Lloyds Banking Group is planning further branch closures resulted in a small share price bump.
The way all of us live our lives has changed and businesses are having to constantly adapt to keep up with those evolving habits. But the relentless onslaught of bank branch closures doesn’t give customers a chance to figure out if those closures leave more than just gaps on high streets.
Whilst many of us can and do carry out the majority of our banking online, there are still occasions when only bricks and mortar will do. This round of closures from Lloyds will see 49 branches shut their doors, and although the rollout of banking hubs is steady, there will undoubtedly be some people and places that will feel unsupported as a result of the move.”
More than 6,000 bank and building society branches have closed across the UK since 2015, according to consumer data, marking a major shift in high street services. The move towards digital banking grew faster during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, when online and mobile transactions increased sharply.