Natwest to close 49 branches starting from today - see the full list

Natwest is set to close 49 branches in the coming weeks, beginning with two locations today. The major bank will be closing a number of branches this month and in October.

The first branches to shut their doors will be Cwmbran in South Wales and Wisbech in Cambridgeshire. Leicester and Rayleigh are next on the list, with closures scheduled for tomorrow.

Halesowen will follow suit on Wednesday, while the branches in Bristol (Fishponds) and Llangefni are due to close on Thursday. In total, 26 NatWest branches will permanently cease operations this month.

This move is part of a broader trend of banks reducing their high street presence as they shift towards online banking. NatWest has previously stated that over 80% of its current account holders utilise digital services.

Furthermore, more than 97% of retail accounts are opened online. However, such closures can pose challenges for elderly or vulnerable customers who may struggle with online services.

Research indicates that 39% of people aged over 65 do not use online banking, putting them at a high risk of financial exclusion. Since 2015, the NatWest Group - which also encompasses Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank - has closed 1,409 branches.

Full list of locations set to close below:

• Cwmbran - September 1
• Wisbech - September 1
• Leicester (Melton Road) - September 2
• Rayleigh - September 2
• Halesowen - September 3
• Bristol (Fishponds) - September 4
• Llangefni - September 4
• Ely - September 10
• Leicester (Oadby) - September 10
• Birmingham (Edgbaston) - September 11
• Cardiff (Llanishen) - September 11
• Luton (Leagrave) - September 15
• Northampton (Weston Favell Shopping Centre) - September 15
• Birmingham (Acocks Green) - September 16
• Cardiff (Canton) - September 16
• Cirencester - September 17
• Hinckley - September 17
• Wickford - September 18
• Willerby - September 22
• Abingdon - September 24
• Newmarket (Suffolk) - September 24
• Birmingham (Smethwick) - September 25
• Yate - September 25
• Bicester - September 30
• Sudbury - September 30
• Melton Mowbray - September 29
• Ringwood - October 1
• Leamington Spa - October 1
• Birmingham (Shirley) - October 1
• Paignton - October 2
• Stevenage - October 7
• Wellingborough - October 7
• Midsomer Norton - October 8
• Stratford-upon-Avon - October 8
• Neath - October 13
• Romsey - October 13
• Redditch - October 14
• Chippenham - October 15
• Lowestoft - October 15
• Trowbridge - October 16
• Honiton - October 21
• Mold - October 21
• Dorchester - October 22
• Bridgwater - October 27
• Leighton Buzzard - October 28
• Bridport - October 29

Expected to be confirmed later:

• Garstand
• Market Drayton
• Ashby-de-la-Zouch
• Cromer
• Evesham
• Launceston
• Portishead
• Torquay

Analysis of official data shows that a total of 138 branches were shut between June and August, with Santander leading the way.

Thirteen banks closed during August, all but one of them branches of Santander, after the banking giant announced it was shutting 95 banks earlier this year.

It follows the loss of 84 banks in June and 41 in July. These closures impact every region of England as well as Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales.

Cornwall has been hardest hit by the summer closures, with seven branches vanishing from its high streets.

Since a voluntary agreement saw the major banking groups commit to assessing the impact of every closure in February 2022, 1,879 bank branches have shut or announced their intention to close.

That's an average of around 50 closures announced per month or 12 per week.

The LINK initiative to assess the impact of closures - which was agreed by all the major banks including Barclays, HSBC, Natwest, Lloyds, and Halifax - was set up to ensure vulnerable customers and small businesses were not left behind in the switch to cashless payments and virtual banking.

When closures leave communities without any local bank, banking hubs or free ATMs are set up to fill the gap.