Find out which ones are going and your options if affected.
There are already hundreds of banks slated to close in 2023. This time it’s the turn of Natwest and RBS bank. Here’s what you need to know.
When are the banks closing?
A total of 23 Natwest branches will close between April and June 2023, on top of 43 that were announced last year (and will be gone by the end of March this year). No additional RBS branches are set to close this year – so far at least.
What to do if your branch is closing
For most of us it probably means very little. When did you actually last need to use a branch? If you aren’t at all fussed about losing access to a branch’s facilities you don’t have to do anything (though more in a moment about why you could). And if you need to just pay in or withdraw cash then you’ll be able to use a Post Office.
But for those who do regularly visit a branch for more than this (or don’t have a Post Office nearby) it could make a huge difference.
The obvious solution is to open up a new account at a bank that does have a local branch near you. You don’t have to switch to this new bank (which would mean the closure of your Natwest or RBS account) if you don’t want to, but doing so does have some advantages.
All your Direct Debits, standing orders and payments into your account will be moved over for you, so you won’t need to change anything manually. And right now you could get a switching bonus of up to £200.
But if you do switch you’ll lose access to benefits you get with these banks. The main perks are:
- Natest or RBS Reward Account – £3 a month profit (two lots of £2 if you have two Direct Debits, £1 for checking the app minus a £2 monthly fee) (account review)
- Digital Regular Saver – 5.12% AER savings on a total balance of up to £5,000 (capped at £150 a month deposit) (account review)
- Fee-free use of the Natwest / RBS Reward Credit Card
Unless you’re getting a decent switching bonus, I’d keep hold of the Reward account if you have it, just to keep the free cash. Instead I’d open up a new account without switching for whichever alternative bank you have nearby (here’s a full list of the different perks they offer).
And even if you aren’t bothered about your local branch closing, I’d still open another locally. I think it’s always handy to have physical access to a bank. You never quite know what will happen with online and app banking, and having the option to talk to someone can make things easier.
Which Natwest branches are closing? (A-Z)
You can read a fact sheet for each branch to see why each one is closing.
January 2023 announcement
These closures will happen between April and June 2023.
| Birstall, 659 Loughborough Road – June 1 2023 |
| Blackpool, 344 Lytham Road – April 25 2023 |
| Bootle, 329 Stanley Road – May 10 2023 |
| Broadwater, 5 Broadwater Street East – May 16, 2023 |
| Colwyn Bay, 2 Abergele Road – May 17, 2023 |
| Cranbrook, High Street – May 30, 2023 |
| Crawley, Gatwick Road – May 11, 2023 |
| Dunstable, 4 High Street North – May 3, 2023 |
| Exeter, 18 St. Thomas Centre – May 9, 2023 |
| Fleet, 176 Fleet Road – April 27, 2023 |
| Frome, 4 Market Place – May 11, 2023 |
| Heslington, Main Street – April 27, 2023 |
| Horwich, 27 Lee Lane – TBC |
| Ilminster, 10 East Street – May 18, 2023 |
| Llansamlet, Phoenix Way – May 25, 2023 |
| London, 10 Marylebone High Street – May 23, 2023 |
| London, 145 Clapham High Street – April 26, 2023 |
| Maidstone, 197 Sutton Road – May 4, 2023 |
| Sheerness, 29 High Street – May 24, 2023 |
| Shoreham-by-Sea, 21 East Street – TBC |
| Southampton, 416 Bitterne Road – April 23, 2023 |
| Stroud, Bank Buildings – April 26, 2023 |
| Torquay, 128 Newton Road – May 31, 2023 |
Previously announced for 2023 (A-Z)
These closures were announced in October 2022, and will close between January and March 2023.
| Aberdeen – 18 January 2023 |
| Ayr – 12 Jan 2023 |
| Beeston – 25 Jan 2023 |
| Berkhamsted – 25 Jan 2023 |
| Broadstone – 12 Jan 2023 |
| Bromsgrove – 31 Jan 2023 |
| Buxton – 14 Feb 2023 |
| Caterham – 1 Feb 2023 |
| Cheadle – 2 Feb 2023 |
| Cheltenham Bath Road – 26 Jan 2023 |
| Cleethorpes – 7 March 2023 |
| Clitheroe – 15 Feb 2023 |
| Coventry Walsgrave Road – 19 Jan 2023 |
| Devizes – 8 March 2023 |
| Dundee – 10 Jan 2023 |
| Eastleigh – 16 Feb 2023 |
| Edinburgh – 21 Jan 2023 |
| Gerrards Cross – 21 Feb 2023 |
| Glasgow – 26 Jan 2023 |
| Glossop – 2 March 2023 |
| Headington – 7 Feb 2023 |
| Henley-on-Thames – 7 Feb 2023 |
| Ilkley – 12 Feb 2023 |
| Lewes High Street – 11 Jan 2023 |
| London, Balham – 24 Jan 2023 |
| London, Holborn – 10 Jan 2023 |
| Market Harborough – 11 Jan 2023 |
| Oxted – 22 Feb 2023 |
| Parkstones – 7 March 2023 |
| Potters Bar – 23 Feb 2023 |
| Sandbach – 8 Feb 2023 |
| Shipley – 23 Feb 2023 |
| Southsea – 23 Feb 2023 |
| St Neots – 28 Feb 2023 |
| Stourbridge – 8 Feb 2023 |
| Thame – 1 March 2023 |
| Tonbridge – 9 March 2023 |
| Uckfield – 8 March 2023 |
| Waterlooville – 9 March 2023 |
| Wetherby – 9 Feb 2023 |
| Whitehaven – 14 March 2023 |
| Wokingham – 9 Feb 2023 |
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Which RBS branches are closing?
No branches have been announced to close in 2023.
