NatWest bank branch closures: Full list of the branches closing this month

Martin Lewis discusses cash 'bribes' for switching banks

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Customers opting to use online banking was cited as the reason why the decision to close the branches was made. The use of online banking heightened also during the COVID-19 pandemic as footfall into physical branches significantly declined due to the lockdowns. Natwest had previously announced that 24 branches had already been earmarked for closure in 2022. The further 32 closures meant that the bank is set to close a total of 56 sites this year. The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), which is part of the Natwest group, is also affected with 11 branches set to be closed.

The Natwest branches closed or due to be close in June include:

Chelsea (7 June)

Tavistock Square (7 June)

Derby (8 June)

Headingley (8 June)

Gillingham (14 June)

Ruislip (15 June)

Hull University (21 June)

Marlow (21 June)

Leatherhead (23 June)

South Woodford (28 June)

The RBS closures for June include:

Harrow (9 June)

Leicester Market Street (9 June)

Leeds Park Row (16 June)

Wilmslow (22 June)

London Child & Co (29 June)

The Natwest closures set for July includes:

Billericay – High Stret, Essex (5 July)

Leeds Victoria – Vicar lane, West Yorkshire (6 July)

Nottingham City (Self service) – Victoria Centre, Nottinghamshire (6 July)

Windsor & Eton – High Street, Berkshire (7 July)

The RBS closures for July include:

Chelmsford – High Street, Essex (7 July)

Cheltenham – The Promenade, Gloucestershire (5 July)

Natwest has not disclosed how many jobs are going to be lost or affected by the closure of the branches.

The announcement also caused backlash for the bank as many were concerned about how the closures would impact older customers.

Natwest promised however to “contact vulnerable customers to ensure they can continue to bank with us in the way which suits them best”.

Both Natwest and RBS have the facilities and step-by-step guides which detail how people can set up accounts over the phone and online.

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Customers are also able to withdraw and deposit money and cheques into their account at their local Post Office which has 11,500 sites across the country.

In a statement released at the time, Natwest said: “As with many industries, most of our customers are shifting to mobile and online banking, because it’s faster and easier for people to manage their financial lives.

“We understand and recognise that digital solutions aren’t right for everyone or every situation and that when we close branches we have to make sure that no one is left behind.

“We take our responsibility seriously to support the people who face challenges in moving online, so we are investing to provide them with support and alternatives that work for them.”

Over the last five years, around 5,000 high street bank and building society branches have closed or are scheduled to close according to an analysis by the consumer group Which?.

Which? stated that this was almost half of the UK’s bank branch network. Its analysis also found that around 12,000 free-to-use ATM machines have closed.

This is expected to affect around 5.4 million people who still rely on cash, with a large percentage being vulnerable groups which includes elderly people, low-income households, and those who suffer from mental illness or physical disability.

In May, the Queen’s Speech announced that the Government was to bring forward the Financial Services and Markets Bill

This included a promise to make sure that people across the UK could access their own cash with ease.

The speech, read by the Prince of Wales for the first time on behalf of the Queen, acknowledged that physical cash remained an “important payment method”.

No timeframe for the bill has yet been announced and more details will be set out when the Bill is formally introduced into Parliament.

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