Santander to Shut 44 UK Branches in 2026: Complete List Released
Santander UK has announced plans to close 44 branches across the United Kingdom by 2026. This decision impacts a total of 291 employees. The closures align with the bank’s strategy to adapt to evolving customer behavior that increasingly favors online banking services.
Santander’s Response to Digital Banking Shift
The bank noted that a significant transition towards digital banking is driving these changes. Currently, 96% of all transactions are conducted online. Since 2019, digital transactions have surged by 64%, while in-branch transactions have plummeted by 66%. In the past year alone, branch financial transactions decreased by an additional 13%.
New Support Initiatives
To ensure ongoing support for customers, Santander will introduce Community Bankers. These professionals will provide face-to-face assistance either at Santander Local locations or within Banking Hubs, where necessary. The aim is to maintain personal service in communities affected by the closures.
Future Branch Structure
Following the closures, Santander’s branch network will be restructured to include:
- 244 full-service branches
- 19 counter-free branches
- 36 branches with reduced operating hours
- 6 Work Cafés
- 111 Santander Locals
Santander Locals will serve communities where a full branch has closed but a Banking Hub is unnecessary. These facilities will be situated in local venues such as libraries and community centers.
Specific Branch Closure Locations
The following locations will see branch closures:
- Andover
- Banbridge
- Bangor
- Berwick Upon Tweed
- Bishop Auckland
- Boston
- Bridgend
- Bridgwater
- Cwmbran
- Enniskillen
- Evesham
- Glengormley
- Golders Green
- Gosport
- Haverfordwest
- Heswall
- Huntingdon
- Kirkintilloch
- Leighton Buzzard
- Leyland
- Liskeard
- Macclesfield
- Mansfield
- Melton Mowbray
- Merthyr Tydfil
- Mold
- Newbury
- Newton Abbot
- Northallerton
- Ormskirk
- Pontefract
- Ramsgate
- Redditch
- Ringwood
- Scunthorpe
- Shirley
- Stafford
- Stranraer
- Stratford Upon Avon
- Tonbridge
- Welwyn Garden City
- Whitehaven
- Wilmslow
- Woking
Santander aims to strike a balance between maintaining accessible, in-person services and adapting to the growing trend of digital banking. This strategic shift reflects the bank’s commitment to supporting its customers according to their preferences.
