Lloyds Banking Group to shut another 20 Lloyds branches and eight Halifax outlets - here's what's happening

The move follows the banking group's closure of 48 branches between January and April this year and the announcement in March that a further 60 branches will close between June and September. Collectively, the three announcements mean customers will lose access to 85 Lloyds Bank branches, 32 Halifax outlets, and 19 Bank of Scotland branches by the end of this year.

Lloyds Banking Group isn't alone though - TSB is closing 70 branches between April and June this year. Elsewhere, HSBC will close 69 branches across the UK between July and October, while NatWest Group said it would shut 32 of its NatWest and RBS branches between May and July this year.

Alternative ways to bank face-to-face with Lloyds

Lloyds Banking Group said that customers of all branches set to close will have access to everyday banking and cash, such as via a Post Office (which you can continue to use), within one mile.

But here are some alternative ways to access face-to-face banking services if your local branch is closing:

Check if Lloyds' 'mobile branch' service is available in your area 

Lloyds Bank and Bank of Scotland both run a mobile branch service that enables customers in England and Wales to access certain services in their local area at specific times and dates each month. You can check if a nearby town is covered on Lloyds' website or on Bank of Scotland's website. Halifax customers unfortunately can't access this service. 

Under the mobile branch service, customers can:

• Cash/cheque deposits.

• Withdraw cash.

• Send money outside the UK.

• Pay bills.

• Manage standing orders and direct debits.

• Order foreign currency.

Some in limited areas may be able to visit Lloyds' 'community bankers'

This service is only available in "banking hubs" in Cambuslang near Glasgow and in Rochford, Essex. Plus, there is one community banker on the Isles of Scilly. We've asked for more info on the services community bankers provide, where exactly the banking hubs are, and if customers of Bank of Scotland, Halifax and Lloyds Bank can all access them.  

You can access some Lloyds and Halifax services via the Post Office

Lloyds Banking Group customers can also access certain services from any of the Post Office's 11,500 branches. Use the Post Office's branch finder tool to locate your nearest. Services available include the following:

• Cash/cheque deposits. 

• Withdraw money. 

• Check your balance. 

If you need branch access and your Lloyds Banking Group outlet is closing, consider switching

If you no longer want to stay with Lloyds Banking Group (or you don't have a Post Office close by), you might want to consider switching to a bank that does have a local branch nearby – although bear in mind there's no guarantee that too won't close. 

Banks with branches that currently have switching incentives include the following: 

• HSBC* - is offering new and existing customers £170 to switch to its Advance account. You can't have had switching cash from HSBC or First Direct since January 2019. There's no minimum monthly pay-in to keep the account, though you will need to deposit £1,500+ once to get the bonus.

• Nationwide - get up to £125 for switching. Nationwide FlexDirect is offering existing customers £125 and newbies £100 (though there is a trick to get the full £125 - click on this link for how to do it). You can't have had the bonus before and you must set up two or more direct debits to be eligible though there's no minimum pay-in. 

See our Best Bank Accounts guide for the full list of banks offering switching incentives.

Of course, if you want to switch to banking online or via an app, Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland have step-by-step guides on how to set up online and app banking.

Here is the full list of Lloyds Banking Group branches closing