Santander announces changes to UK branch network

Santander has today announced plans to reshape its branch network and close 140 branches in response to changes in how customers are choosing to carry out their banking.

Santander’s future branch network will be made up of a combination of larger branches offering improved community facilities to support local businesses and customers, and smaller branches using the latest technology to offer customers more convenient access to banking services.

Santander has consulted its trade unions on the proposed changes and will seek to find alternative roles for the 1,270 colleagues affected wherever possible. Santander expects to be able to redeploy around a third of those affected and will be closely supporting colleagues over the coming weeks as the consultation process continues.

Santander will support customers of closing branches to find other ways to bank that best suit their needs, including individual help to find alternative Santander branches and access digital, telephone and Post Office banking services.

Santander will retain a nationwide network of 614 branches following the proposed changes. All Santander current and business account holders can also bank using one of over 11,000 Post Office branches across the UK.

In order to deliver a branch network for the future, 100 Santander branches will be refurbished over the next two years through an investment of £55m. The refurbishments will include a range of changes with a focus on personal service, convenience and community engagement.

The number of transactions carried out via Santander branches has fallen by 23% over the past three years, while transactions via digital channels have grown by 99% over the same period.

Susan Allen, Head of Retail and Business Banking, said

"The way our customers are choosing to bank with us has changed dramatically in recent years, with more and more customers using online and mobile channels. As a result, we have had to take some very difficult decisions over our less visited branches, and those where we have other branches in close proximity.

"We will support customers of closing branches to find alternative ways to bank with us that best suit their individual needs. We are also working alongside our unions to support colleagues through these changes and to find alternative roles for those impacted wherever possible."

"We continue to believe that branches have a vital role to play and we will be refurbishing 100 of our branches over the next two years. We are confident that following these changes we will have the right branch network to serve our customers’ changing needs, and we expect the size of our network to remain stable for the foreseeable future.

- Ends -

The information contained in our press releases is intended solely for journalists and should not be used by consumers to make financial decisions.

Notes to Editors

• ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ is a signatory to the Access to Banking Standard, which was introduced in May 2017. This is an industry-wide initiative, which aims to ensure that where banks close branches they do so responsibly and with consideration of the impact on customers and local communities. For each individual case, we undertake a comprehensive review to understand the potential impact for customers, and the alternative options available to bank locally. Where we do decide to close a branch, we notify customers in advance and notify local community representatives, ensuring other ways to bank locally are available. All of our impact assessments are available via our website at /personal/support/ways-to-bank/our-branches
• Santander will support customers of closing branches to find alternative ways to bank that best suit their needs. This includes:
  • Ìý
  • Ensuring customers are aware of alternative branches in the area and how to access them, arranging appointments to visit and meet the team;
  • Providing individual support to assist customers who may not have tried digital or telephone banking previously; and
  • Working closely with the local Post Office to raise awareness of the services available, including providing Post Office literature in the branch, visits in branch from the postmaster, and where required branch colleagues accompanying customers to the Post Office to assist with their initial transactions and provide reassurance.
• To locate your nearest Santander branch, please visit our
• The full list of branches proposed for closure is below:

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

ÃÛÌÒÓ°ÏñÌýis a financial services provider in the UK that offers a wide range of personal and commercial financial products and services. It has brought real competition to the UK, through its innovative products for retail customers and relationship banking model for UK SMEs. At 30 June 2018, the bank has c24,200 employees. It serves around 15 million active customers, via a nationwide branch network, telephone, mobile and online banking; and 64 regional Corporate Business Centres. ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ is subject to the full supervision of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) in the UK. ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ plc customers are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) in the UK.

About Us
Banco SantanderÌý(SAN SM, STD US, BNC LN) is a leading retail and commercial bank, founded in 1857 and headquartered in Spain. It has a meaningful market share in 10 core markets in Europe and the Americas, and is the largest bank in the euro zone by market capitalization. At the end of June 2018, Banco Santander had EUR 981 billion in customer funds (deposits and mutual funds), 140 million customers, 13,500 branches and 200,000 employees. Banco Santander made attributable profit of EUR 3,752 million in the first half of 2018, an increase of 4% compared to the same period last year.

Media Enquiries

Adam WilliamsÌýÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý T:Ìý020 7756 5533ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý M:Ìý07711 783 118ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý E:Ìýadam.r.williams@santander.co.ukÌý
Leonora BurtenshawÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý T:Ìý0207 756 4543ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý M:Ìý07701 004 107ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý E:Ìýleonora.burtenshaw@santander.co.uk

The press office operates from 8.00am to 6.00pm. Outside of these hours please call 0800 5877708.