Santander closing 40 UK branches in April and May – see full listing of areas
Spanish bank will shut 40 branches across the UK high street by May 20, with 13 closing in April and 27 in May
A major bank is set to close 40 branches by May (stock)(Image: Images By Tang Ming Tung via Getty Images)
Santander will shut 40 branches in April and May across Britain’s high streets. The Spanish bank confirmed 44 closures in January, which featured four branches scheduled to close permanently by January 2027, placing 291 jobs in jeopardy.
Next month, 13 branches will lower their shutters for the final time on April 28 and April 29. The subsequent month’s 27 closures will conclude by May 20.
The bank, similar to others on the high street, has chosen to dramatically cut its high street footprint as customers shift online. Last year, it revealed plans to shut 95 branches, representing roughly a quarter of its UK network.
Lloyds Bank also intends to close more than 100 branches by March, as part of a closure programme announced last year.
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The massive high street exodus has been condemned by MPs and campaign groups, who highlight that the most vulnerable will be affected, with restricted internet access or transport to reach face-to-face services, reports the Express.
Santander stated customers can use nearby banking hubs to complete essential banking tasks, with 96% of transactions now handled online.
Financed by the major high street banks and established by not-for-profit organisation Cash Access UK, they are operated by local Post Office managers to assist customers from various banks under one roof.
“We will continue to invest in both our branch network – comprising of full-service branches, counter-free branches, reduced-hour branches, Santander Locals, and our increasingly popular work cafes – as well as our digital banking services, so we can be there to support our customers however they choose to bank with us,” Santander said.
By comparison, Nationwide has committed to maintaining all of its remaining 696 branches until at least 2030. It announced an increase in customers visiting its outlets over the past year.
Nevertheless, the building society had already shuttered 10% of its branches before making this commitment in 2023.
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