Bank Branch Closures: What are Parents Rights and How to Complain

Bank Branch Closures: What are Parents Rights and How to Complain

Over the last ten years, there have been more than 2,000 bank branches across the United Kingdom have shut their doors to customers for good. For families who have to juggle their busy schedules and manage their family money carefully, this can feel like another challenge to have to manage. Whether your local branch is closing or you’re concerned that it might happen in the future, it’s important to know what options are available to you, and how to protect your family’s financial well-being.

Family Money Experts: How to complain and what your rights if your bank branch closes.

• Bank branches are closing nationwide, so exploring alternative banking methods is vital for busy families.
• If your local branch closes, you can campaign locally, petition, or raise complaints through services like Resolver.
• Complaints must be clearly marked as ‘Official Complaint’ to be recognised by your bank and the Financial Ombudsman Service.
• You have rights to fair treatment, compensation for time and inconvenience, and to escalate unresolved issues to the Financial Ombudsman after eight weeks.
• Switching banks has become easier, thanks to the bank switching guarantee, offering families greater choice and convenience.
• If your bank or building society fails to resolve complaints, the Financial Ombudsman Service can help independently and free of charge.

In this guide, our team of family finance expert will explain what bank branch closures mean for parents, how you can raise concerns or complaints if you’re affected, and the alternative ways to manage your banking. We’ll also cover what to do if things go wrong and how to seek compensation from your bank if you’re entitled to it.

Why are bank branches closing and how does this affect families?

With the rise of online and mobile banking, many banks have reduced their physical branches to cut costs. While this makes digital banking more prominent, it can leave some families feeling stranded—especially those who prefer face-to-face service or who find technology difficult to use.

For parents, losing a local branch can mean more time spent travelling to the next nearest branch, which may not be practical when juggling childcare, work, and other commitments. It can also limit access to services like depositing cash or cheques instantly, which some families rely on.

What can you do if your branch is closing?

If you discover that your local bank branch is closing, there are practical steps you can take to help influence the decision and adapt to the change.

• Start a local campaign: Rally community support by collecting signatures on a petition or organising outreach to your bank. Banks often respond when they see significant community concern.
• Raise complaints through Resolver: This online platform helps manage official complaints easily and keeps track of correspondence. You can also use Resolver to escalate your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service if unresolved.
• Plan alternative banking methods: Consider accessing your account via internet or telephone banking, using postal services, or visiting other branches.
• Think about switching banks: The bank-switching guarantee makes moving your account hassle-free. Choose a provider with better digital tools and local access to suit your family’s needs.

How to access your account without a local branch

Even without a nearby branch, you can still manage your finances smartly:

• Internet banking: Check balances, transfer money, set up payments, and monitor spending from your phone or computer at any time.
• Telephone banking: Speak to a representative or complete transactions over the phone with your bank’s helpline.
• Postal banking: Send cheques or forms via post if necessary.
• Use other local branches or banking agents: Some banks have agreements allowing customers to use certain services in other branches nearby.

Raising a complaint: what parents should know

If you feel the closure of your local branch is unreasonable or impacting your family unfairly, you have a right to complain—and banks must treat customers fairly. Here’s what to keep in mind:

• Make it an official complaint: When contacting your bank or building society, clearly label your correspondence ‘Official Complaint’ to ensure it is taken seriously.
• Use Resolver to manage your complaint: The platform lets you submit your case, upload evidence, track responses and deadlines—all in one place.
• Give clear details: Explain what happened, when, and how you want the issue resolved. Be concise and factual to strengthen your case.
• Wait up to eight weeks: Banks have up to eight weeks to respond fully. If they don’t or you’re not satisfied, you can escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
• Keep records: Save all emails, letters and notes about how much time you’ve spent resolving your complaint—it can help if you claim compensation.

What can you complain about?

Reasonable complaints related to bank branch closures might include:

• Unreasonable closure without proper notice or explanation.
• Lack of accessible alternatives making it difficult for your family to bank.
• Unfair treatment or discriminatory behaviour during the closure process.

However, you cannot complain about things like investment losses unless the bank failed to warn you about risks involved.

Is using a claims management company helpful?

While some companies handle complaints for a fee, usually 30 to 40 per cent of any compensation, most bank disputes are manageable by parents themselves. Going through the complaints process directly tends to produce equally good results without the added cost.

What happens if your complaint is unresolved?

If your bank does not resolve your complaint to your satisfaction within eight weeks, Resolver will remind you that you can escalate the case to the independent Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). This service investigates disputes free of charge and can award compensation, usually with interest at 8%, for both financial losses and time or hassle endured.

The FOS typically allows claims within six years in England and Wales, and five years in Scotland, but the sooner you act, the better your chances.

How to protect your family’s finances in case your bank faces trouble

If your bank or building society goes bust, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) may protect your savings and investments up to set limits:

• Up to £85,000 per person for deposits.
• Up to £50,000 per person for investments.
• Up to £50,000 per person for home finance advice and arranging.

Knowing these protections can give families peace of mind during uncertain times.

Summary: what parents need to know about bank branch closures

Bank branch closures can disrupt family life, but understanding your rights and options can help you take control:

• Stay informed about any planned branch closures affecting your area.
• If concerned, start a local campaign or petition to voice your community’s needs.
• Use online tools like Resolver to raise official complaints and keep track.
• Explore digital banking or switch providers if it suits your family better.
• Keep detailed records of any issues, correspondence and time spent.
• Be ready to escalate issues to the Financial Ombudsman Service if necessary.

By staying proactive, parents can safeguard their family finances and adapt smoothly to the changing banking landscape.

For more rights advice related to banking and other financial services, explore our comprehensive Rights Finder tool to get personalised guidance based on your specific provider and needs.