![]() Mr Clements claims he discovered 'startling' failures in the bank’s IT Disaster Recovery back-up system that left the bank vulnerable to failures that could bring it down. Stephen Clements, 51, the former head of the business continuity at Lloyds Banking Group, alleges there was a deliberate cover-up to stop the flaws being dealt with due to the cost of repairing the problem and the potential damage to the bank's reputation. Got a story to share or an issue for us to investigate? Email us at to share your pictures, stories and information.'Forced out': Stephen Clements, 51, is suing Lloyds Banking Group for £1 million in lost earningsĪ senior Lloyds executive was forced out of his job because he blew the whistle on 'shocking' failures in the bank’s IT systems that would have cost £200 million to fix, a tribunal has heard. We take our responsibility seriously to support the people who face challenges in moving online, so we are investing to provide them with support and alternatives that work for them.” Lloyds said its branches would “continue to be an option for our customers alongside our telephone services, mobile app and online bank”.Ī NatWest spokesperson added: “We understand and recognise that digital solutions aren’t right for everyone or every situation, and that when we close branches we have to make sure that no one is left behind. A spokesperson said: “As visits to branches continue to fall, we need to adapt to provide the best service for all our customers.”Ī spokesperson for Lloyds Banking Group - which owns Halifax as well as Lloyds Bank and several other financial firms - said increasing demand for online banking meant it needed to continue to develop “services our customers want to use”. Barclays is closing or has closed the most branches in areas that have no other physical banking services (45) followed by Lloyds (34) and then NatWest (24).īarclays says it maintains an in-person presence in over 200 locations “where there is no longer enough demand to support a branch” through the Barclays Local network, based in libraries, town halls, mobile vans, and “banking pods”. That is followed by HSBC (114), NatWest (106), Lloyds (62), and Halifax (32). Of the bank closures that have been announced or have already taken place this year, Barclays have overseen the most closures, with 122 branches lost to the high street. ![]() As a result, Indie retailers need access to cash, customers need cash and so we need banks on the high street.”īranch closures are driven by factors including the rise of online banking, the increasing popularity of mobile banking, and the cost of running branches. He said: "Small businesses want to remain accessible and available to their customers, and that means being able to accept cash. "A lack of face-to-face banking will only serve to further exclude the millions of people on a low income who have no or limited access to the internet."įive HSBC in Dorset will close in 2023, including this Shaftesbury branch (Image: Google Maps)Īndrew Goodacre, CEO of Bira (the British Independent Retailers Association) said banks were closing at a much faster pace than the hubs were opening. Even older people who do bank online often want the ability to talk to a bank employee in the flesh about some kind of transaction. Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: "We need to face up to the fact that huge numbers of older people, the oldest old, especially, are not banking online. More than 50 banking hubs have been announced, but only four have opened so far. These are spaces shared by several high-street lenders featuring counter services and visits from community bankers from the major banks. The charity's research found that four in 10 older people (39%) with a bank account in Britain - equivalent to more than four million people - are not managing their money online and could be at risk of financial exclusion.Īge UK has now called for more banking hubs to be opened in the UK in locations where all banks have closed. It comes as Age UK warns many older or vulnerable people are struggling with online banking. The closures will leave 109 communities in England without a bank, plus 16 in Wales, five in Scotland, and one in Northern Ireland. A total of 397 banks have closed or will close in England in 2023, along with 37 in Wales, 20 in Scotland, and five in Northern Ireland.īut in some areas, the latest closures will leave high streets without any existing banks, meaning customers will have to go online or travel to other locations to access financial services.
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