Banking
23 Jun 2026
Rural Banking Access Raised In Lords
Access to face-to-face banking services was discussed in the House of Lords last week, with peers highlighting the importance of maintaining access for rural, coastal and vulnerable communities.
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26 May 2026
MPs Raise Concerns Over Rural Access To Banking Services
MPs from across the political spectrum have urged the Government to review how banking hubs are assessed and delivered, warning that rural communities are being left behind as bank branch...
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18 May 2026
Review Into Access to Face-to-Face Banking Services
A new independent review into access to face-to-face banking services across the UK has been launched amid concerns about the impact of bank branch closures on communities and vulnerable customers.
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09 Jun 2025
Spotlight on Bank Closures and Rural Communities
Bank closures and their impact on rural communities were firmly in the national spotlight last week, with the issue debated in Parliament and discussed on Sky News. Ahead of the...
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06 May 2025
Government Urged to Act on Cash Payment Access
The recent publication of the Treasury Committee’s Acceptance of Cash report casts a fresh spotlight on the rapidly shifting payment landscape in the UK, and its consequences for rural communities....
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03 Mar 2025
The Disappearing Rural Banks: Parliamentary Debates Over a Deepening Challenge
Recent discussions in the House of Commons have brought to light the severe implications of bank closures in rural areas. Led by Simon Hoare, MP for North Dorset, a debate...
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08 Apr 2024
The Closure of Northumberland Banks: A Reflection on Rural Banking Challenges
The impending closure of the last two bank branches in Alnwick, Northumberland — Lloyds and Halifax — scheduled for January 2025, has not only highlighted the challenges faced by this...
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11 Sep 2023
Barclays becomes the latest bank to close rural branches
Barclays has announced it is to close at least 180 of its branches in the next 2 years, more than a third of its entire UK networks. The news comes...
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21 Aug 2023
Government promises free access to cash to be protected “particularly” for those living in rural areas
A new policy is to be introduced which will ensure that the ‘vast majority of people and businesses’ will be no further than three miles away from a place where...
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26 Jun 2023
Traders in a rural town say they’re experiencing cash shortages caused by bank closures
Traders in Bromyard, Herefordshire, have told the BBC that the town has been left short of cash and ‘forced to travel miles with their takings’ after the last bank closed...
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