HSBC promises to keep all of its bank branches open until 2027

HSBC has pledged to keep all its 327 branches open until at least 2027 and has committed to pumping more than £55 million into renovating and modernising existing sites.

The bank, which is one of the UK’s ‘big four’, has updated its branch promise, extending its previous pledge to not close any branches until 2026 at the earliest.

It comes as major banks close thousands of branches between them as part of a massive shift to digital banking.

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More than 6,600 have shut between January 2015 and December 2025, according to consumer group Which?, with 743 of them HSBC sites. HSBC has not closed any branches since 2023, when it shut 114 across the year.

HSBC said it will commit £55.8 million worth of investment into its branch network in 2026, up from the £42 million it spent in 2025.

Sites will be refurbished and modernised, with works at 100 branches already complete. This includes the unveiling of ‘Premier Centres’ in 29 branches and the opening of two ‘Wealth Centres’, both of which are geared towards higher-end clientele.

Sally Williams, head of the branch network at HSBC UK, said: “We are investing heavily into our physical network so that we can continue to service our customers, including those with more complex needs who value in-person interaction for those moments that matter.”

HSBC also continues to roll out smaller scale banking services across the UK including cash pods. It will also have a presence in 200 banking hubs by the end of 2025.

These hubs are operated by the Post Office with counters for multiple banking brands inside letting their customers make deposits, withdraw cash and make payments.

Cash pods are self-service units like ATMs where customers can check their account balances, make payments linked to their HSBC cards and print mini-statements.

The latest bank branch pledge from HSBC comes just weeks after Nationwide Building Society said all Nationwide and Virgin Money branches will keep their doors open until at least 2030.

Sam Richardson, deputy editor of Which? Money, said it was incumbent on other banks to make similar branch promises.

"Given their ongoing importance to communities, other firms should also consider committing to keep branches open so that those who aren't yet ready or able to make the switch to digital banking aren't left in the lurch,” Richardson said.

Bank closures rife across the UK

Bank branches have closed in their thousands in the last decade as the push to online banking continues at speed.

Recent research by Which? found banks and building societies closed 6,633 branches between January 2015 and December 2025.

Separate data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals the number of operational bank branches fell from 14,689 to 5,745 between 2012 and 2023.

Matt Hammerstein, CEO of Barclays, said the increase in use of online banking had seen a ‘sustained fall in demand’ for its physical bank branches.

TSB also said last year more than 67% of its customers used mobile, online or telephone banking and over 90% of transactions were carried out digitally.

However, concerns have been raised that the widespread closure of bank branches could leave some, including the elderly, struggling to access services.

In May 2023, a survey of 2,632 people aged 65 years and older, published by charity Age UK, showed 39% were not digital bankers and could be at ‘high risk of financial exclusion’ following bank branch closures.

What you can do if your bank branch has closed

If you prefer in-person banking, rather than using online or mobile banking services, you may wonder what your options are if your local branch closes.

You can carry out most basic banking tasks at your nearest Post Office, although you won’t be able to apply for a loan or open a new bank account there.

Some banks offer a mobile branch service – a bus that comes to your area offering services you can usually get at a physical branch.

Other banks use buildings such as village halls or libraries to offer banking services.

It’s worth contacting your bank to see what services they have available, and when they might next be in your area.

You could also see if there is a banking hub in your local area. The Post Office has a list of all the operational hubs on its website.

Lastly, you could switch your current account to a bank or building society that has branches closer to you.

You can switch current accounts for free, in most cases, through the Current Account Switch Service (CASS).