Lloyds Banking Group has announced plans to close another 136 High-Street branches in the United Kingdom, with 61 Lloyds, 61 Halifax and 14 Bank of Scotland sites to be closed between May and March 2026.
The relocation follows on the bank, because more and more customers carry out daily transactions via digital platforms, with more than 20 million people who now have access to Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland Services via apps.
Employees affected by the closures will be offered alternative positions within the group, which are expected to have 756 branches that will remain at the end of March next year – from the current total of around 932.
A Lloyds spokesperson emphasized that the shift to online banking offers “more choice and flexibility than ever”, although critics warn of the wider effects. Michelle Lawson, director at Lawson Financial, labeled the closures “a potential death bell for the High Street”, warning that local footsteps can suffer and have a negative influence on independent companies. Likewise, Albion Financial Advice Director Dariusz Karpowicz pointed out that although the purchase of the use of branch is inevitable in a digital age, banks are at risk from excluding older and vulnerable customers who are dependent on face-to-face services.
This latest announcement underlines an accelerating trend of physical branches in the British banking sector, with more institutions that rely on digital channels to meet the evolving of consumer habits.