Full map of closures: Santander axes another 44 branches putting 291 jobs at risk January 29, 2026 Santander has made another cull to its branch network as the Spanish banking giant ploughs ahead with its digital transformation. The lender said it would close another 44 branches, which will put 291 jobs at risk of redundancy, as the bank turns its focus to its digital offer to keep at pace with its fintech [...]
Nationwide reigns supreme in bank switch war as Santander falters January 29, 2026 Nationwide maintained its top spot in the tussle for current account switchers in the third quarter of 2025 as the mutual sweetened its offer for new joiners. The building society – which was slapped with a £44m fine in December for failing to flag Covid fraud – secured a net gain of 41,450 switchers after [...]
House affordability offers first time buyers boost but Londoners lag behind January 20, 2026 Improved house affordability has sparked an uptick in first time buyer activity over the last year, but those on lower incomes remain shut out of the housing market. Affordability constraints eased slightly, due to declining mortgage rates and wage growth surpassing house price growth, bolstering buyer demand, particularly among those taking the first step onto [...]
Banking and insurance to drive financial M&As after 2025 frenzy January 7, 2026 Deals in the financial services sector are expected to be “robust” in the year to come, following a burst of activity from the banking and insurance sector in 2025. UK banks, insurers and asset managers publicly disclosed 337 deals last year. Whilst this dipped down from the record high of 378 in 2024, the value [...]
Housing market ended 2025 on ‘softer note’ after ‘resilient’ year January 2, 2026 The UK housing market rounded off 2025 on a softer note after remaining “resilient” through a volatile year, according to Nationwide’s latest house price index. Annual house price growth slowed to 0.6 per cent in December from 1.8 per cent in November, with a 0.4 per cent fall in prices. This took the average UK [...]
Regulators show their teeth – financial services fines in 2025 December 24, 2025 UK watchdogs sharpened their sword in 2025 and slapped a handful of financial services firms with hefty fines and a thorough dressing down. In just under a week alone in July, the Financial Conduct Authority and Bank of England handed out £74.9m worth of fines to a trio of financial services giants. But it was [...]
HSBC follows Nationwide with branch pledge in bid to woo customers December 12, 2025 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 December 12, 2025 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 October 31, 2025 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 [...]