SANTANDER TO CLOSE 95 UK BRANCHES ACROSS THE UK – The closures, set to begin in June, put 750 jobs at risk
Santander has announced plans to close 95 branches across the UK, citing a shift towards online banking. The closures, set to begin in June, put 750 jobs at risk.
In addition to shutting branches, the bank will reduce operating hours at 36 locations and remove front counters from 18 others as part of its restructuring efforts.
The move follows similar closures by other major banks, with Lloyds announcing 136 branch closures in January. Once the changes take effect, Santander’s UK branch network will shrink from 444 to 349.
To support affected communities, Santander plans to deploy 95 “community bankers”, who will visit local areas weekly, offering banking services in public spaces such as libraries.
The bank attributed the decision to a “rapid movement” of customers switching to digital banking, with online transactions increasing by nearly two-thirds since 2019, while in-branch transactions have seen a significant decline.
“Closing a branch is always a very difficult decision,” a Santander spokesperson said. “We spend a great deal of time assessing where and when we do this and how to minimise the impact on our customers.”
The bank stated that approximately 750 employees could face redundancy, pending consultation with trade unions.
