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Written question asked by Sarah Pochin (Reform UK) on Wednesday, 17 June 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 22 June 2026. It was answered by Rachel Blake (Labour) on Wednesday, 24 June 2026 on behalf of the Treasury.

Banks: Closures

Question

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of bank branch closures on (a) town centres and (b) rural communities.

Answer

The Government is aware of the public’s concerns around access to banking services, which are currently not protected in legislation. Whilst there is evidence on a local level of individuals being affected by the closure of bank branches, the Government needs robust evidence from across the UK.

The Government therefore commissioned an independent Review into Access to Banking Services. The Review will identify who is affected by changes to access to in-person banking services and how many people are affected. It will also look at what kinds of banking services are important for people to be able to access, including in town centres and rural communities.

HM Treasury launched the Access to Banking Services Review on 8 June, with the publication of the Call for Evidence. The Call for Evidence will run for six weeks and will close on 20 July. The evidence gathered will inform the development of the Review’s recommendations, and the Chair, Richard Lloyd OBE, is due to publish his findings in October. More information can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/access-to-banking-services-review-call-for-evidence.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
10815
Session
2026-27
Transferred
Yes
Subjects
Closures Banks Rural areas Urban areas
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk