More than 5,000 bank and building society branches have closed over the past seven years, according to analysis from Which? The consumer group counted 5,162 bank and building society branches which have closed since January 2015.
A further 206 branches are set to close by the end of 2023, according to the Which? findings, as of mid-December 2022. Rocio Concha, Which? director of policy and advocacy, said: “The shift to paying digitally has made life more convenient for millions, yet there remains a significant minority for whom cash is still vital as they are not ready or willing to make that switch.
“Those who rely on cash need protection from bank branch and ATM closures, with a minimum level of free access to cash guaranteed to ensure they don’t have to pay to withdraw their own money. But protecting access to cash is only useful if it is still widely accepted as a payment method.
