Branch closures announced for September
Lloyds, Halifax and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) are preparing to close 26 branches in September 2026, as the sector continues its shift away from traditional high street banking. The closures include five Lloyds Bank branches, with the Birmingham-Handsworth branch among those set to shut.
According to Birmingham Live, Lloyds Bank will close five branches across England in September. The first closures will take place on September 23, when three branches are due to close: Birmingham-Handsworth, Harrow, and Whitechapel High Street in the City of London. The Chelmsford branch will follow on September 24, and the Carlisle location will close on September 29.
The same list of Lloyds closures appears in Nottinghamshire Live, which also details 15 Halifax branches and mentions RBS closures, although no specific RBS locations are listed. The Halifax branches closing in September include Horsham, Cannock, Barrow-in-Furness, Milton Keynes, Woking, Guildford, London-Camden Town, Canterbury, Wimbledon, North Finchley, Durham, Ealing Broadway, Basingstoke, Bury St Edmunds, and High Wycombe.
Context and rationale
The September closures follow Halifax's decision to shut 25 branches in June. Nottinghamshire Live reports that two Halifax branches in Nottinghamshire closed earlier this year: Central Avenue in West Bridgford on June 16, and High Road in Beeston on June 4.
The banking group stated that branch closure decisions are "based on a range of factors, including how customers are choosing to bank and the availability of nearby services." This explanation aligns with the broader trend of consumers favouring digital and mobile banking options.
Jas Singh, chief executive of consumer relationships at Lloyds Banking Group, said: "As Halifax changes to Lloyds, our Halifax customers will keep everything they know and love today - the same fantastic app design, the same friendly faces in our branches - even the same sort code and account number."
Rebranding and consolidation
As part of a broader consolidation strategy, close to 200 Halifax locations are due to rebrand as Lloyds branches by 2027. This rebranding is expected to accompany the ongoing transition, with customers retaining their existing account details and branch staff.
Advice for affected customers
For customers affected by the closures, Martin Lewis' team at Money Saving Expert advises checking for a "banking hub" in your area. These hubs are shared spaces run by the Post Office, separate from actual Post Offices, where customers of multiple banks can deposit and withdraw cash, get face-to-face support, and manage their accounts. As of Monday 15 June, there are 237 hubs up and running around the UK.
Even if a customer's bank does not have a representative at a local hub, they can still use the banking hub counter to access banking services. Customers can use the Post Office's branch finder to check for a hub near them, and they can also check if a community banker from Lloyds, Halifax, or Bank of Scotland is visiting their area.
Perspectives
Lloyds Banking Group
The group, through Jas Singh, emphasizes continuity for Halifax customers during the rebrand, assuring them that they will keep the same app, branch staff, sort code, and account number. The group attributes closure decisions to customer banking preferences and the availability of nearby services.
Consumer advice perspective
Martin Lewis' team at Money Saving Expert provides practical guidance for affected customers, highlighting banking hubs as an alternative for accessing banking services, including face-to-face support, and offering tools like the Post Office branch finder to locate nearby options.