Latest news with #CashAccessUK
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
All the bank branch closures including Lloyds and NatWest in August – is your local affected?
We reveal the full list of closures below BANK ON IT All the bank branch closures including Lloyds and NatWest in August – is your local affected? Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BANK branches continue to close across the UK at pace, with 17 more planning to shut their doors this August alone. In fact, so far in 2025, 423 branches have closed already from January through July. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 There are 17 bank branches shutting in August, according to the latest LINK data Credit: Alamy A further 127 are expected to close between September and December as banks cut costs and push customers toward online services. According to consumer champion Which?, banks and building societies have closed 6,443 branches since January 2015, at a rate of around 53 closures each month. This represents 64% of the branches that were open at the start of 2015. The figures cover branches from 20 major current account providers, showing how widespread the cuts are. NatWest Group, including NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank, has closed the most, with 1,477 branches shut since 2015. Lloyds Banking Group, which includes Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland, shut 1,391 in the same period. Barclays alone has reduced its network by 1,236 branches, the most for any individual bank. Branch closures peaked in 2017, when 867 sites closed across the UK, more than 70 each month, followed closely by 792 closures in 2018. How Link is helping with cash access Thanks to pressure from campaigners, including Link, some banks have agreed to open voluntary banking hubs that offer face-to-face banking services for customers in areas affected by branch closures. These hubs let you: Pay and withdraw cash Check your balance Pay utility bills Top up gas and electricity Link recommends hubs in areas with at least 10,000 people and 70 shops, also considering local demographics, digital skills and transport links. A full list of operating banking hubs is available on the Cash Access UK website. If you think your area is under-served you can request a hub. First, you need ask Link for a 'cash access review' to check if services in your area are good enough. Who can ask? Anyone can make a cash access request, individuals, groups or organisations. You just need to make your request in writing, and help is available if you need it. You can complete the request form online or print it and post it to: LINK Scheme Ltd (Cash Access Request) Central House, Otley Road, Harrogate, HG3 1UF. When might a review not happen? If there's already an ongoing or recent review covering your area and the same cash services If there isn't a good reason to review the cash access services where you live If you are made aware of existing services nearby and decide there's no problem If you cancel your request in writing or by email Before asking for a review, check if there's a bank branch, Post Office or ATM near you. Post Offices offer Everyday Banking services including cash deposits, withdrawals and balance checks for many banks and building societies. Using the Cash Locator tool can help you find the nearest place to get or pay in cash. Link wants to make sure everyone can easily access and manage their money, so don't hesitate to ask for help if you think cash access in your area isn't good enough. No branch nearby? Use the Post Office If you don't have access to a branch or hub, you can still do basic banking at the nearest Post Office. Services typically include: Cash withdrawals and deposits Cheque deposits Balance enquiries Bill payments Gas and electricity top-ups Which banks are closing? Here are all the closures planned for August 2025: Bank of Scotland – one closure North Berwick: August 20 Barclays - one closure Hull: August 22 Lloyds Bank – one closure Leeds Crossgates: August 20 Santander – 14 closures Blyth: August 5 Brixton: August 11 Canvey Island: August 5 Downpatrick: August 6 Edgware Road: August 12 Finchley: August 6 Formby: August 11 Holywell: August 13 Plympton: August 14 Rustington: August 5 Sidcup: August 11 Whitley Bay: August 6 Willerby: August 13 Wimborne: August 4 Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@ Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
The Independent
23-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
The problems people are facing with their banks
A Which? survey revealed that over a third (35 per cent) of bank customers in the UK do not feel valued by their banks. Customers reported dissatisfaction with the removal of services, including paper statements, automatic cheque book replacements, and face-to-face appointments. Which? criticised the slow rollout of banking hubs, shared spaces for multiple banks, and urged for an expansion of their in-person services. Cash Access UK confirmed 178 banking hubs have opened to date, with a goal of reaching 200 by the end of the year, and 231 have been recommended. UK Finance stated that the banking industry is on track to establish 350 banking hubs by the end of the current Parliament.
BBC News
19-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Houghton-le-Spring banking hub plan to boost cash access
A new banking hub to ensure everyone has access to cash is planned for a County Durham proposed facility would be in an empty retail unit on Newbottle Street in hubs are a shared space where customers of any bank can withdraw or deposit cash, pay bills, and make other City Council's planning department is expected to reach a decision by early September. The Local Democracy Reporting Service said Cash Access UK had applied for planning permission to convert the "existing vacant unit into a retail banking hub with internal and external alterations", including a "new ATM machine".If approved it would operate under the Post Office Banking Hub brand, with counter service operated by Post Office from different banks would work on different days on a rotating addition, it was noted there would be "private spaces where customers can speak to community bankers from their own bank for more complicated matters that require specialist knowledge or privacy". A statement on the Post Office website notes the wider banking hubs initiative recognises "how important in-person banking still is for many people".The statement added: "Soon, you'll be able to access personal and business banking services, pay bills and get help from community bankers, all in person." Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
09-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
New hub opens after closure of Wick's last bank
A banking hub has opened in Wick following the closure of the town's last organisation Cash Access UK is running the services from premises in Bridge Bank of Scotland branch shut last month. Since 2018, the town lost its Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), Clydesdale Bank, TSB and Virgin Access UK is funded by major UK banks and has a network of hubs across the country. Wick's hub has opened in the town's former RBS building, and is the most northerly of Cash Access UK's has a counter service run by the Post from three banks will make visits to meet customers, with TSB on Tuesdays, RBS on Wednesdays and Bank of Scotland on premises also has a cash Access UK chief executive Gareth Oakley said: "I'm happy to announce the opening of our Wick hub, ensuring crucial access to cash and face-to-face banking services for residents and businesses across the community. "Customers can visit on any day of the week for their everyday banking transactions, and if you have a specific or more complex inquiry for your bank, a community banker will be there to help on the day they're in the hub."Caithness and Sutherland MP Jamie Stone welcomed the opening of the new hub, and said many customers still wanted face-to-face contact with bank Scotland, Cash Access UK also has sites in Turriff in Aberdeenshire, Kirkcudbright in Dumfries and Galloway and Troon in South Ayrshire.
BBC News
08-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Cockermouth Banking Hub opens after loss of town's last branch
A banking hub has opened following the closure of a town's last bank Cash Access UK said the facility in Cockermouth, Cumbria, would enable people to access services from several banks at one comes after the loss of Barclays earlier this year with HSBC, Lloyds, NatWest and Santander also having left the Murray, chair of the Cockermouth & District Chamber of Trade, said the hub on Main Street would provide an "essential service". Run by the Post Office, customers of all major banks and building societies will be able to carry out cash transactions at the more complicated queries, a community banker service will run Monday to Friday, between 09:00 and 17:00, allowing customers to speak to staff from their community bankers will work on rotation with each bank or building society operating from the hub one day per week:Monday: HalifaxTuesday: NatWestWednesday: BarclaysThursday: HSBCFriday: LloydsA community banker from HSBC will be joining the hub soon, according to Cash Access Farrow, the firm's customer and strategy director, said the site's opening ensured "crucial access to cash and face-to-face banking services for residents and businesses across the community".Mr Murray also welcomed the development."We've all seen the decline of High Street banking that's been going on for several years, so this is a service the town needs."We're pleased the hub has been able to open relatively quickly."We have a wide demographic in Cockermouth and some people do still rely on going into a bank. For them, it's an essential service."It also makes things easier for businesses when it comes to things like paying in money." Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
