HSBC follows Nationwide with branch pledge in bid to woo customers Banking HSBC has promised it will not shut any branches in the UK until at least 2027 as the bank ramps up its efforts to appeal to customers. The FTSE 100 titan, which is Europe’s biggest lender, will invest £55.8m into its 327 branches in 2026, a 30 per cent increase on the £42m it spent [...]
Nationwide hit with fine after failing to flag Covid furlough fraud Banking Nationwide had been slapped with a £44m fine by the City watchdog for failures in its financial crime controls. The building society giant has been blasted by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for missing opportunities to identify fraudulent Covid furlough payments. The FCA said one customer received 24 payments, totalling north of £27m, over 13 [...]
House prices edge higher amid Budget speculation Property UK house prices rose for a second consecutive month, as buyers remained resilient amid growing tax rise speculation in the upcoming Autumn Budget. The average value of a house increased 0.3 per cent to £272,226 in October, according to Nationwide’s latest housing pricing index. House prices were 2.4 per cent higher than last year, following [...]
The best cash bonus deals for switching current accounts October 30, 2025 UK banks and building societies are handing out hefty cash bonuses to entice customers to switch accounts, with Nationwide among the sweetest offers. The building society recorded 54,347 switches between April and June, largely driven by its £200 switch incentive. Its Fairer Share scheme, which offers a one off bonus payment of £100, was also [...]
Millennials and Gen Z cling to property dream as house prices soar September 8, 2025 Millennials and Gen Z are refusing to give up on their dream of owning a home despite the steep challenges of getting on the property ladder, fresh research has found. Over 35 per cent of Gen Z and 40 per cent of Millennials think that owning a property is the most effective way to grow [...]
Challenger banks face ‘profitability trap’ at growth crossroads September 8, 2025 The UK banking sector faces a profitability roadblock that will give the industry’s challengers an “existential” turning point. Fresh data from KPMG suggests the industry’s average return on equity will fall to eight per cent come 2027 down from 13 per cent four years prior. This is set to spark an £11bn reduction in pre-tax [...]
Five top paying savings accounts – earn up to 7.5 per cent August 8, 2025 Savings accounts are staging a fiery comeback as UK providers battle to attract customers. With the cost-of-living still rumbling on and interest rates beginning to shift, there’s prime opportunities to put money to work. A number of top accounts have upped rates in recent months – some over seven per cent – helping in a [...]
Mark Kleinman: Un-Wise handling of US listing move July 31, 2025 Mark Kleinman is Sky News’ City Editor and the man who gets the Square Mile talking in his weekly City AM column Wise fails its name in handling of US listing move If only Wise was as smooth at transferring its stock market listing as it is moving its customers’ money. The company founded by Taavet Hinrikus and [...]
Nationwide wins big in mass switch from FTSE 100 banks July 30, 2025 Nationwide has raided the customer base of Britain’s banking titans as current account switchers flocked away from legacy firms. The building society welcomed nearly 73,000 switchers in the first three months of the year, compared to 17,000 outflows, according to Pay.uk data. This comes after the mutual returned billions to customers in 2024, whilst the [...]
Banks shut eight branches a week since 2016 July 10, 2025 British banks have accelerated their retreat from the high street, shutting an average of eight branches a week since 2016 in a dash to bulk up digital offerings. Nearly 3,700 sites closed between 2016 and 2024, creating 41 ‘banking deserts,’ which refer to local authorities where at least one branch shut for every 10,000 residents. [...]