Natwest to close 35 branches as UK bank closures mount
Natwest is closing 35 branches this year, adding to a UK banking retrenchment that had already taken 138 branches out of service by the start of June. The closures land hardest on customers who still use physical branches for cash, advice and day-to-day payments. More people are choosing to bank and pay for things digitally, but the shift is running ahead of some local access points.
35 Natwest branches in 2026
35 branches is the Natwest figure for this year, a slice of a wider total that is expected to reach 245 shuttered branches by the end of 2026. Lloyds customers have been hardest hit, with 82 branches already shut or scheduled to close this year, while Halifax and Bank of Scotland will close a combined 71 branches and Santander is closing 54.
2,167 branches have gone since February 2022, and the average pace has been nearly 10 closures a week. That is the scale behind a wave that now reaches towns and suburbs across the UK rather than a single bank or region.
LINK hubs and cash use
277 bank hubs have been recommended by LINK, and experts believe the previous commitment of 350 hubs could rise to 550 if the changes are implemented. The idea is straightforward: where a branch disappears, a shared local banking point or free ATM can keep basic services within reach for businesses and households that still need them.
Over £76bn was withdrawn from LINK cash machines last year, and Nick Quin said: “Many people rely entirely on their smartphones when they leave the home, and don’t carry cash or even a wallet.” He also said: “That means cash use is falling too, but it remains critical, and over £76bn was withdrawn from LINK cash machines last year.”
May review and June closures
In May, the Government announced an independent review into access to banking, led by Richard Lloyd, as the closure rate continued to climb. By the start of June, 138 banks had already closed for good across the UK in 2026, including Halifax branches in Didsbury and Ashton-under-Lyne and Lloyds in Altrincham this month.
For customers, the practical question is not the policy debate but the nearest place to bank, withdraw cash or get help in person. The closures now running through the year leave LINK’s hub network, free ATM coverage and the Lloyd-led review as the main pressure points for deciding how much local access survives once the branch door shuts.
