Thursday 29 January 2026 8:21 am  |  Updated:  Thursday 29 January 2026 9:14 am

Full map of closures: Santander axes another 44 branches putting 291 jobs at risk

By: Samuel Norman

City Reporter

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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 competitors.

The move was attributed to “changing consumer behaviour” but marks the latest major retreat from the high street amid growing concerns around access to cash.

Analysis from Lightyear showed nearly 3,700 bank 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.

Following the changes, Santander’s branch network will consist of 305 branches: 244 full-service branches, 19 counter-free branches, 36 branches with reduced opening hours, and six Work Cafés, alongside 111 Santander Locals. In the last two years, the firm has shuttered nearly 500 sites, according to Lightyear.

In the first-quarter of the 2025 financial year, Santander UK was struck with a surge in provisions after backlash mounted to its branch closure operation.

The Spanish-headquartered lender’s provisions for liabilities and charges rose 69 per cent to £140m.

The firm said £42m of this was driven by “charges relating to changes to our branch network”.

But the bank has said it will continue to invest tens of millions of pounds into its branch investment programme, which is targeting “refreshing” nearly 80 per cent of the network.

Santander snapped up TSB Bank in a deal set to be worth £2.9bn when closed, raising concerns the latter’s name would disappear from the high street.

Banks swim against the tide to keep branches open

Amid backlash to branch closures, a number of Britain’s top banks have committed to keeping sites open in a bid to hold onto customers.

HSBC has promised it will not shut any branches in the UK until at least 2027, with a £55.8m investment to set to flow into its 327 branches in 2026, a 30 per cent increase on the £42m it spent this year.

It followed Nationwide in November committing to keeping all of its branches open until at least 2030, as it reported a rise in customers visiting its outposts.

A scathing report from the Treasury Committee earlier this year warned the UK risks becoming a “two-tier society” if the government does not act on cash acceptance.

Widespread branch closures have spiked concerns regarding cash acceptance, particularly for vulnerable groups.

Santander’s cull: Are you affected?