HSBC UK confirms bank won’t announce any new branch closures in 2024

Banks and building societies have closed 5,791 branches since January 2015, including 736 HSBC UK branch closures, according to Which?.

HSBC UK is set to have closed 114 bank branches by the end of this year.

Do you have a money story or question you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing money@gbnews.uk.

However, in an end-of-year message to customers, Jose Carvalho, HSBC UK's head of wealth and personal banking, vowed not to announce more plans to close branches next year.

He said: "The coming year will see us improve some of our products and services, as well as significantly upgrade our mobile banking app.

"We’re putting our efforts into the things that our customers have asked for."

Mr Carvalho added: "We’ll also continue to refurbish our branches and will not be announcing any new branch closures in 2024."

Mr Carvalho highlighted plans for the bank to "expand" community locations "up and down the country", such as via pop-up branches and banking hubs.

He also thanked HSBC customers for trusting the bank with their money, but noted: "There have been times this year that we could have done better."

An HSBC UK spokesperson said: “We continue to invest tens of millions of pounds into our branch network, just last week we opened an award-winning new concept branch in Sheffield and will not be announcing any new branch closures in 2024.

"To help provide a great banking environment for our customers we have upgraded well over 100 branches so far this year, and our strong focus going forward is on maintaining and improving our local presence, alongside digital and remote banking.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• Britons forced to drive miles to bank as millions could be ‘bankless’ within months
• Nationwide vows not to leave two British towns after losing other bank branches
• Barclays will close 37 bank branches next year – full list of branch closures in 2024

"We are expanding our community locations up and down the country with our pop-up branches and Banking Hubs, bringing our colleagues closer to the communities we serve.”

HSBC UK now has a branch network of 327 branches, following the 114 branch closures.

The bank opened its new flagship HSBC UK branch opened in Sheffield last week.

To make banking more accessible, the new branch has wider doorways, height-adjustable desks, mobility scooter parking, new braille signage, including braille handrails, quiet zones and a sensory room.

Visually impaired customers can also trial ‘on-demand’ voice guidance, which sets out the main features of the branch and helps customers navigate around to the areas they wish to visit, in addition to introducing innovative ‘circadian lighting’ in certain areas where the lighting tone and brightness of the branch is in tune with the body’s natural rhythm, HSBC UK said.

The branch also has a Safe Space for anyone in immediate need of a discrete space to speak to friends and family, contact specialist support services or phone a helpline.