Britain's Banking Deserts: Lloyds Closes 245 Branches as Networks Shrink Below 5,000

UK bank branches have contracted from 9,000 in 2015 to under 5,000 today. Lloyds Banking Group's announcement of 245 closures across 2026–2027 represents the largest recent consolidation, but NatWest, Barclays, and HSBC are running parallel programmes. The squeeze raises unresolved questions about how Britain's financial system serves non-digital users and maintains cash handling—and who bears the cost.