Santander has today announced plans to update its branch network from June 2025 to better serve the changing needs of its customers. The bank will be changing the format of a number of branches to include 18 counter-free and 36 reduced hours branches, alongside its 290 full-service branches and five Work Cafés.1
As part of the changes, 95 of the bank’s existing 444 branches will be closed. These locations will be covered by new Santander Community Bankers providing face-to-face money management and general support for customers, visiting local communities weekly, as well as attending local Banking Hubs.
The bank is also investing in more Work Cafés, with two new Work Cafés recently opened, and an additional site to be announced shortly. The Work Café concept, which Santander is rolling out globally, provides a hub for local communities and businesses, including co-working space, superfast WiFi and dedicated event space – which can be accessed for free by customers and non-customers alike.
In addition to the bank’s Work Cafés, it has invested tens of millions of pounds in a branch investment programme over the last two years, refurbishing 99 branches, with a further 50 branches due to be completed over the coming year. The newly refurbished branches include a digital self-serve room providing customers with privacy as well as the space to talk to specific teams, and access online banking.
The bank also continues to enhance its mobile banking app, chat service and telephone banking, to support customers. This includes further development of its new mobile banking app launched in 2024, which won a Digital Banker Award for Financial Inclusion in October, as well as investment in innovative digital support, such as the bank’s My Home Manager app.
The bank has seen a rapid movement of customers choosing to do their banking digitally, with a 63% increase in digital transactions since 2019, while financial transactions completed in branches reduced by 61% in the same period. In addition, since 2019, the bank has seen:2
. 82% of current accounts opened digitally
. 56% increase in mobile banking users
. 89% increase in mobile banking app transactions
. 73% increase in mobile logins (up to 1.9bn)
A spokesperson for Santander UK, said: “As customer behaviour changes, we are ensuring that our branches remain fit for the future. Our new combination of full-service branches, alongside Work Cafés, counter-free branches and reduced hours branches, aims to provide the right balance between digital banking and face-to-face money management and guidance. As a business, we must move with customers and balance our investment across all the places where we interact with customers, to deliver the very best for them now and in the future.
“Closing a branch is always a very difficult decision and we spend a great deal of time assessing where and when we do this and how to minimise the impact it may have on our customers. However, we believe that the introduction of our new Community Bankers and the exciting plans we have for our remaining network of 349 branches and Work Cafés, alongside the rapid and innovative improvements to our award-winning mobile banking app, will provide the right balance of digital banking and human interaction when required.”
Following the changes, 93% of the UK population will continue to be within 10 miles of a Santander branch. All Santander current and business account holders can also bank using one of over 11,000 Post Office branches nationwide and 112 Banking Hubs. Closing branches are all within one mile of the nearest Post Office.
To support the changes, Santander will be proactively contacting all potentially vulnerable customers by phone and will assist those customers of closing branches to find other ways to bank that best suit their needs, including help to find alternative branches and access digital, telephone and Post Office banking services. A dedicated phone number is available to provide customers with help and information on the closures.
Santander also remains committed to Cash Access UK and is present in the Banking Hubs across the UK, contributing towards the setting up and expansion of new Banking Hubs.
Approximately 750 colleagues would be placed at risk of redundancy if the proposals proceed after consultation with the unions has been completed. Support will be provided to those impacted colleagues, including assistance in finding redeployment roles within the bank, access to specialist outplacement support, and dedicated wellbeing support. A 24-hour Employee Assistance Helpline is also available for colleagues.
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1. Reduced hours branches: Branches with reduced hours will be open either Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 9:30am-3:00pm, or Tuesday and Thursdays 9:30am-3pm and Saturdays 9:30am to 12:30pm. The only exception is the Caerphilly branch, which will be open Tuesday and Thursdays 9:30am-3pm. The reduced hours will take place from 30 June 2025.
Counter-free branches: Counter-free branches enable customers to interact with Santander staff face-to-face, but without the traditional banking teller behind a counter. Customers will continue to be able to bank as normal, with the majority of services still available and additional colleagues on hand to support customers. The vast majority of transactions can be undertaken in a counter free branch. For transactions involving large cash withdrawals or coin, customers are able to use the Post Office.
2. Data from 2019-2024.
Banking 4.0 – „how was the experience for you”
„So many people are coming here to Bucharest, people that I see and interact on linkedin and now I get the change to meet them in person. It was like being to the Football World Cup but this was the World Cup on linkedin in payments and open banking.”
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