Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025

Third of Britons still prefer to do banking in person, survey finds

Third of Britons still prefer to do banking in person, survey finds

People would rather visit a bank branch to seek human advice as cost pressures mount, a survey found.
A third of people in the UK would rather do all their banking in person, a survey has found, amid a swathe of new branch closures from high-street lenders who say in-person services are not being used.

People still want to go into their local bank branch to seek human advice amid cost-of-living pressures, despite increasingly being able to do so digitally, the survey found.

While 44% of over-55s said they would rather visit a branch, the survey found it is not just the older generations who are hesitant to fully switch to mobile banking.

A fifth of 18 to 34-year-olds said they prefer to do all their banking in person, according to the survey of more than 2,400 banking customers by professional services company Accenture.

Meanwhile, more cash was handled by the Post Office in March than any month since last September, excluding Christmas when withdrawals are usually at their highest.

New figures from the company showed cash deposits and withdrawals over the counter reached £3.29 billion during the month, across its 11,500 branches.

People are increasingly utilising their local post office to manage money as a result of banks shutting branches, which often make it “the only location where consumers and businesses can do their banking”, it said.

It comes as two of the UK’s biggest high-street banks, NatWest Group and Lloyds Banking Group, revealed plans last month to close more than 80 branches between them across the country.

The latest plans mean that in the first three months of this year, banks have already earmarked 213 sites for closure, with NatWest closing the most, followed by Barclays.

Nationwide, TSB and Virgin Money have also announced a smaller number of closures each.

Banks say they are cutting branches because they have noticed big drops in the number of customers visiting, as people opt for using their mobile phones or computers to manage their money instead.

Many now offer services such as mortgage calculators, mortgage offers before credit score checks, and information hubs online, as well as being able to switch current accounts, freeze a card or take out new savings products through mobile apps.

But Accenture’s research found that a significant proportion of people still want to visit their bank to access human advice, from setting up a savings account to taking out a mortgage or life insurance.

"For now, for some, nothing beats being in the room when it comes to complex and confusing financial matters"

Furthermore, while 38% of Britons now have a digital-only bank account, just a tenth use it as their main bank, it found.

People still want the option to visit a branch or speak to staff, or have concerns about data security and the financial stability of digital banks, Accenture found.

Tom Merry, managing director of banking strategy for Accenture, stressed that the desire for human interaction and reassurance at branch visits do not come “at the expense” of digital banking.

He said: “The big banks must balance a fantastic digital experience with human interventions which really matter.

“For some, these can be easily delivered via improved remote video and voice experiences without a branch.

“But for now, for some, nothing beats being in the room when it comes to complex and confusing financial matters.”

He added it will be critical to find the right role for branches in a digital era rather than being “allowed to wilt”.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
×