Lloyds Banking Group is considering plans to phase out the Halifax brand entirely within months, potentially bringing the bank’s 173-year presence on the high street to an end.
While no final decision has been made, a phased closure of Halifax branches could begin as early as this summer, according to reports from The Sun.
If the phase-out goes ahead, customers’ account numbers would remain unchanged, and their automatic protection under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) would not be affected.
“We regularly look at the role our brands play in supporting our customers,” a spokesperson for Lloyds said.
“Our banking customers can already use any Lloyds, Halifax or Bank of Scotland branch, and see any of their products and services in any of their apps – there are no changes for our customers today.”
According to reports first published by The Sun, citing industry insiders, the brand’s retirement could begin on July 1, when customers would no longer be able to open new Halifax accounts online or through the app.
By October, Halifax is expected to stop accepting new customers altogether, with existing account holders gradually migrated to Lloyds Bank by late 2026.
Lloyds has not commented on the reported timeline.
In 2025, Lloyds Banking Group introduced a major overhaul of its banking services, allowing customers of its three brands — Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland — to use shared branches and access mobile banking services across the network.
The changes meant customers could use whichever branch was closest to them.
However, the banking giant has closed hundreds of high street branches in recent years, with more closures planned this year as customers increasingly shift to online banking. More than 160 branches are set to close during 2026 and early 2027.
© The Standard Ltd