[Closed] Who is still using bank branches and why?

To answer your question, "old folk".
Last time I tried to use one I popped in at 15 minutes before closing to ask a question and got told to look online. Not been back since.

Only when I need to pay in cash and have it credited immediately, rather than waiting til sometime next day via the ATM.
HSBC are completely in the dark ages, can't pay cash in at all via their ATM.

P.s. I'm not that old 🙂

Only for jobs involving cash, which will be Cyclo-cross race float and entry fees only. App and online all the way otherwise.

Paying in cheques (very occasionally, and machine inside can sometimes manage that automagically).

And, old folk - used to have to withdraw a certain amount for my mum, who didn't want #20 notes, that would have been too easy for me..

Paying in cash to HSBC in a small town a couple of weeks ago. I'd happily use a machine if I could.

To pour my big change jar into their machine that puts it all into my account, before I go on holiday and spend it all on pizza and ice cream.

It's about all I get from the ****s these days.

Last time I went in to our local branch was to get some Euros only to be told to nip next door to the travel agents as they did a better exchange rate!

The next time will be to cash in the loose change I've collected in the giant whisky jar 😊

All regular payments are either direct debit or standing order. If I've a payment to make to non-business then it's "what're your bank details?" and I'll do it via bank transfer online. Not bothered with apps so far, I'm rarely in that much of a rush!

To get my mum's Lasting Power of Attorney registered - they need to see the original.

To pour my big change jar into their machine that puts it all into my account, before I go on holiday and spend it all on pizza and ice cream.

Didn't know banks had those, I always used one in Sainsburys which skimmed off a few % as a commission....

After getting locked out of my account and getting the security questions "wrong" only way to find out why was to visit branch & yes you've guessed it, they had incorrect records...
Was executor of my dad's will to, which involved a few visits to various branches, paying in his tax refund from HMRC to be greeted with a "that's nice" from the cashier was not great 😕

Two days ago. I wanted to open an ISA, I didn't have an account with that bank so had to go in person. It took nearly a month to get a Saturday appointment.

Two days ago. I wanted to open an ISA, I didn’t have an account with that bank so had to go in person. It took nearly a month to get a Saturday appointment.

I've always done my ISAs and SIPPs online, never had to visit a branch (not that they have any).

My dad, he generally hates online banking and can’t / is unwilling to use a phone to receive TFA prompts.

My wife also had to physically visit a branch to get power of attorney, with her mum, over her dad’s financial affairs.

Knowing the few left are mostly sales offices now, once in the last 3 years. To convert my Wife's current account into a joint account and set up some ISAs. I would have rather done it over the phone.

We sometimes get cheques, but you can cash those via the app now.

I don't have much sympathy for banks, but I worked for a Bank long enough to know there's bugger all money in retail banking. Pretty much everyone in the UK expects a free account, with a perfectly secure online portal, global access to cash, a very large, very well paid security team making sure they don't get scammed or robbed, plus a branch built like a vault on every high street staffed just in case they fancy popping in unannounced during their lunch break to pay in a cheque, or just have a chat plus a million other things, oh and they want paying interest on the money they 'lend' to their bank.

I transfer money via my Bank, and get replacement cards too, set up DD/SO’s and change them.

Normal stuff banking wise I guess.

I needed a quid for the gym lockers a month or two ago, and decided it was easier to withdraw one over the counter, rather than get a tenner from an ATM, find somewhere to spend it to get some change, and then have to get rid of the rest too.

Don't think I've used physical cash money since then.

ADDENDUM: I was going to open a TSB savings account, but was told I had to go into a branch with ID to do so . I work in central Sheffield but the nearest branch is in some random suburb I've never been too 2.5 miles towards the wrong side of town... needless to say I didn't bother.

if its anything like my local branch, having a chat and liberating pens.

and liberating pens

Aren't they all on chains or was that just in the 80s?

The sooner there is less human interaction the better.
Oh, and get rid of cash.
Barcode checkout,contactless and app lifestyles are the future.
Do all your shopping online and have it delivered by drone.
Do not step over that line.
Keep out of that area.
Your call is very important and you are 1345th in the queue.
DO NOT make eye contact or interact with any of our staff.
Your call,location and mood may be recorded for training purpose.
We are here to help.
You are now 1344th in the queue.
Please use your CALM app if you feel upset.
Have a nice day.

I would if they hadn't closed my local one - to get coins. Is it just me these days that struggles to get coins, 99% of my spending is cashless but there's a local farmers market where none of them seem to have thought to get a card reader (with the look she gave me you'd have thought I spat on one stall holder when I tried to buy a sourdough loaf with a £10 note). Oh and my barber's is now £11 and have no card reader.

I asked at the local Post Office if they could change a £20 into £1 coins and they said no, they don't keep much change themselves these days.

I'm fine with being a cashless society but it's a pain when not everyone is!

Occasional business chat especially if there may be a print invoice that could trouble my reserves.
Otherwise done online although I had a couple of minor hassles with cancelled subscriptions still being charged. Counter staff sorted it, organised refunds and then gave me details of how to do it online.
Occasionally it is useful to chat to a person who listen to you and helps make decisions about how to move forward within the banks guidelines.

and liberating pens

Aren’t they all on chains or was that just in the 80s?

It would be pretty rare to see a pen in a Branch these days, they tend to use chip and pin type devices instead and/or electronic pens.

I often think Canada is in the dark ages still, but can't you deposit cheques through an app in the UK yet? Also, HSBC having no facility to deposit cash through an ATM LOL. They probably don't have any staff left in the UK to figure than one out.

Is it just me these days that struggles to get coins,

Probably yes. I use contactless for pretty much everything yet I’ve a pocket full of coins. We also save £2 coins for treat days, cashed them in a couple of weeks ago and already we have about £80 for our next day.

but can’t you deposit cheques through an app in the UK

Yes. I discovered that through this forum, didn't know it existed. Lloyds app does it

I visited mine last Thursday as it was closing down for good on Friday. I used it because I like the staff, wanted them to remain employed and want to keep our high street alive.

Yes. I discovered that through this forum, didn’t know it existed. Lloyds app does it

So does the Halifax app my teenager daughter tells me.

but can’t you deposit cheques through an app in the UK

I just post mine to my local branch as I can't be arsed to cycle across town to visit it (and Barclays App only works up to £500).

Oh and my barber’s is now £11 and have no card reader

Ah, the last bastion of cash society. Same at my barbers, run by young blokes who have phones and DAB radio,they have WiFi, games consoles for kids but still only take cash. Barbers and kids piano lessons are pretty much the only time I use cash now.

I haven't been into a branch since setting up my daughters bank account a few years ago when they needed a physical ID check.

Like the OP, I am amazed that Apps haven't already overtaken branch visits.

visited mine last Thursday as it was closing down for good on Friday. I used it because I like the staff, wanted them to remain employed and want to keep our high street alive

Perhaps a bit late to leave your visit to the Thursday then! The good news is that now it has closed the building can be used for something more useful rather than a relic of the past.

What are bank robbers going to do when they all close? Won’t somebody think of the criminals!

Phishing obvs

They’ll come after Your thumb.

Registering a PoA, and proving identity for a new account (didn't want to post my passport).

Blimey I feel old now. Have set up most of our bank business to work without much/any interaction, so whenever I've set up online banking I've forgotten the passwords and login stuff, iirc the last time needed two passwords(?). So I've definitely no app and any online stuff is lost. Helps that I'm off during the week quite often so if I do need anything popping in isn't exactly a chore.

I'll pop in to my local branch this week as I have a couple of USD cheques to pay in. GBP I can do with my phone.

Setting up bank accounts for both my kids, I had to attend in person with borth certs and photo id.

Paying in cash and cheques!!that the kids got for birthday presents.

I'm self-employed, a lot of my older clients think paying me in cash is helpful. Every other week I pop into town do my banking no big inconvenience.

I still go into my local branch of Lloyds on occasion to have a f2f meeting with my account manager to see if there’s any advantageous changes that can be made, and later this month my mortgage is to be paid off so I’ll need to get that sorted out.
Doing everything online is all fine and dandy, but as has been shown on many occasions, if there’s a big network outage, the likes of fasthaggis are going to be royally screwed!
How will you pay for your skinny latte when the contactless terminal won’t read your card or phone?

You also need a branch when you need to prove who you are by attending in person with photo i/d when the anti-fraud measures get you locked out of your own accounts...

Once a year, at Christmas, for the free mince pies.

All three of our kids have cash jobs or jobs with tips.
We use post office or bank branch for them to pay in.

We visit once a month to pay into kids savings acct. it’s part of a life lesson for them, not the visiting the branch, but the actual saving, moving their cash from their piggy banks and physically depositing it in their savings acct. they get to track it each month so keeps them excited seeing it grow.

Transferring a house deposit to the solicitors. TBH I was quite glad of someone else double checking the account number was right...

That and getting the mortgage for said house purchase.

Presumably the op is just referring to retail rather than business banking. Otherwise the answer is, everyone who runs a shop, cafe, restaurant, pub, visitor attraction, fairground, carpark (particularly in a rural area), village fete, charity collection box, video arcade, etc etc.

Can't fail my local branch (Nationwide). Usually you need to book an appointment 2 weeks in advance, but as my case was urgent...they set me up conference call with Area manager and things were sorted within 30 minutes instead of usual corporate 2 weeks.

My wife immideatly switched from RBS after seeing that kind of F2F service.

To get my mum’s Lasting Power of Attorney registered – they need to see the original.

me too.

Presumably the op is just referring to retail rather than business banking. Otherwise the answer is, everyone who runs a shop, cafe, restaurant, pub, visitor attraction, fairground, carpark (particularly in a rural area), village fete, charity collection box, video arcade, etc etc.

From the very outset I've never had to cross the threshold of a physical bank for any of my business banking - not even to open the account 🙂 . However  we forget as 'retail' bank customers that we get pretty much all of our banking services for free and its the business customers pay for it all. So when I sat in Santander with my mum sorting out her financial affairs at length and for no cost my business banking fees were paying for it all 🙂

As seldom as I use physical banks when I do I've never been in one that isn't busy.

everyone who runs a shop, cafe, restaurant, pub, visitor attraction, fairground, carpark

They all need to catch up and start going cashless. Processing cash is risky and expensive. I am more likely to spend money in a business if they take contactless. Towns like Aberfeldy are going pretty much cash free with very little issue and plenty of benefits.

When I went to Iceland (the country, not the shop) last year I take out any currency, I have no idea what it looks like. For the week I was there I did not handle a single coin or note and it makes perfect sense. As I said earlier on, the only time I use cash day to day is for the barbers and kids piano teacher. Both of them is a hassle and requires a dash to the cash point.

FrankS - I'm very old skool, in that I remember how expensive it used to be to use your bank card abroad. Is that no longer the case? When I travel I always get local currency, infact I'm off to the bank in about an hour to get some Euro's. I just presumed this was the cheapest way of doing it? I then pay cash for my meals, drinks, etc.

Presumably the op is just referring to retail rather than business banking. Otherwise the answer is, everyone who runs a shop, cafe, restaurant, pub, visitor attraction, fairground, carpark (particularly in a rural area), village fete, charity collection box, video arcade, etc etc.

I pretty much never carry cash (in the UK) and just use contactless for everything. There are a few cash only shops on Mill Road (Cambridge) which I avoid on principle as I assume they're just using cash to avoid tax. Cash usage in shops must be declining massively though with the upsurge in contactless.

If we had kids I assume we'd just pay pocket money / cheques etc in using an App, way quicker than visiting a branch which just seems like something out of the Victorian era to me....

FrankS – I’m very old skool, in that I remember how expensive it used to be to use your bank card abroad. Is that no longer the case? When I travel I always get local currency, infact I’m off to the bank in about an hour to get some Euro’s. I just presumed this was the cheapest way of doing it? I then pay cash for my meals, drinks, etc.

We always use a credit card, either pre paid or pay it off in full when we get back. Safer, better exchange rates and easier. We also have a fancy pants bank account which makes debit card very attractive option with the best available exchange rate (you need to be careful using your debit card though, some penalise you for doing so, some are very advantageous.) Have a quick look at this article

MOney Saving Expert

Always pay in Euros/local currency rather than in £'s

Footflaps, agree that paying pocket money / savings in is Victorian era, but for me and my kids its the process of saving real money rather than virtual money if that makes sense.
They get £10 a month savings (in cash from my parents), plus each week they get £6 pocket money, plus £1 for doing jobs (washing my bike, hoovering out my van etc). They then seperate out their spending money from their saving money, their saving money is then taken to the bank. For me while its archaic, its the actual process of physically moving money rather than doing it on an app.
Agreed visiting the branch not necessary though and it would be much easier for me not to.

We always use a credit card.

We were in Portugal last week and most places were cash only....

What was even more surprising was Skiing in Mayrhofen, Austria, 100% cash, not a single place took cards.

For kids savings, paying for chores, pocket money etc I recommend GoHenry. Its a great way to manage these things and gets the kids used to basic principles of saving and electronic banking, both of which is a helpful skill for them into the future.

Doing everything online is all fine and dandy, but as has been shown on many occasions, if there’s a big network outage, the likes of fasthaggis are going to be royally screwed!

CountZ me ol sausage ,you failed to interpret my tongue in cheek post.
This can happen sometimes when things aren't face to face,a bit like some digital mediums 😉

We've needed a branch in the last two years for:

Opening a child's bank acc and making payments in to it for cheques etc. from relatives (it's quite restrictive)
Getting a mortgage

Only time in last five years was to close account.

Not using apps though, desktop and very occasionally phone.

I had a quick look at my chequebook stub last night, last cheque I wrote was about two years ago. I used to write regular cheques for trips and things at School and Cubs but both now have online/cashless system. Who still uses cheques?

My Mum,MIL and FIL.
They even put them in the post with hand written letters and cards ,idiots.

Haven't had a branch for almost 20 years since I switched to Cahoot which is online only. If anyone who still thinks it is 1972 sends me a cheque I just post them into Cahoot and then get paid into my account. They are dying out because the people who use them are dying out. Expect Post Offices to dwindle further away for same reason.

Opening a child’s bank acc and making payments in to it for cheques etc. from relatives (it’s quite restrictive)

Just done this. Well, I haven't yet.

I went into the bank to pay in a cheque for me and to ask about the cheque for my son. They say needs his own account. They can book me in for an appointment to do it in branch, or I can do it online - it's pretty quick and straightforward, they say.

So I apply online (relatively quick and straightforward), get an email saying "thanks, we're on it!" or something similarly upbeat. I go into the branch 3 days later as I've heard nothing. They don't have access to the online applications, I'll have to wait. 2 days later I get a letter through the post saying I have to go into a branch to show them his ID.

I've just done that, they said it could be 7-10 days before it's confirmed and I can pay a cheque in. I've already had it 3 weeks and feeling bad enough for the person who gave it to me.

If I'd booked the appt to apply in the branch, it'd have been done there and then.

tsk, Roll-y eyes emoticon etc.

HSBC are completely in the dark ages, can’t pay cash in at all via their ATM

HSBC's security is awesome. So good in fact that nobody, not even me, could get access to my money. Leaving me without access to cash whilst abroad. Twice. So I had to go into the branch to get my card reset. Also to tell them the non-contactless card I'd asked for was in fact contactless, contrary to my instruction. And to pick up a pair of gloves I'd left there after spending 1 hour trying to get through to the branch.

I did a year's worth of user research for a big (traditional) UK bank and I can tell you that this:

To answer your question, “old folk”.

is probably flawed.

"Old" folk are more digitally savvy than they get credit for. And when does 'old' begin, anyway? I'm over 50, and I design these apps, so find it increasingly hard to get my around the 'old person' as a design persona. It really makes no sense and doesn't hold up. Younger people seemed far more challenged, cognitively, than the older folk I spoke to, all of whom were highly engaged with their devices and knew far more about the capabilities (and drawbacks) of the apps they use.

Just saying 🙂

I recently opened accounts for my kids too.

Went into the Halifax who said it has to be done online.

Did my eldest's online she took her stuff a couple of days later to the branch for proof was out in a few minutes and  able to use the account immediately.

Youngest could be started online then I had to go to the branch with her, stood for 30 minutes while the grannies spent ages asking dozens of questions about their accounts. Eventually get to the counter to be told I need an appointment, earliest over a week away. Arrive for the appointment answer dozens of questions already asked, sign some paperwork as does my daughter. Then the sales pitch starts on me, they didn't get far.

Her account was able to be used straight away but for what was minutes for my eldest took an age for the youngest

“Old” folk are more digitally savvy than they get credit for. And when does ‘old’ begin, anyway? I’m over 50, and I design these apps, so find it increasingly hard to get my around the ‘old person’ as a design persona. It really makes no sense and doesn’t hold up. Younger people seemed far more challenged, cognitively, than the older folk I spoke to, all of whom were highly engaged with their devices and knew far more about the capabilities (and drawbacks) of the apps they use.

I worked on social media for one of the big high-street banks for a couple of years, during which time they were closing many branches - and generating quite a backlash obvs.

It's small business owners and people aged 75+ who were the main "victims", from my observations.

Yes, middle-aged people and younger OAPs can be quite switched on about tech - but I'd also see a fair few moans from people in those demographics. Hardly any from the under-40s unless on behalf of parents/grandparents.

Didn’t know banks had those

@footflaps, pop into the Regent street HSBC, they have one. Pretty much the only thing I have used a branch for in the last few years. My wife did arrange to go see someone in Santander to change ISA, could have been done online though.

Starling do Know Your Customer checks via the app

@footflaps, pop into the Regent street HSBC, they have one. Pretty much the only thing I have used a branch for in the last few years.

How does it pay you, in cash?

How does it pay you, in cash?

Caveat being you need an hsbc account, but yes, credits direct to your account. There used to be one in the innovation park branch which was easy to drive to, helpful when you have a big bunch of coins, but it closed 🙁

How will you pay for your skinny latte when the contactless terminal won’t read your card or phone?

Services. Personal services.

Caveat being you need an hsbc account, but yes, credits direct to your account.

Ah, I'm with Barclays....

No idea if they have one, 20 years since I last visited a branch...

People on low incomes use bank branches more than those with higher personal wealth. Banks want to save money so expect them to transact via the phone services but this is just making more problems because f2f has better outcomes for the customer (and ultimately the bank) when trying to manage their account when it's permanently running on empty

Can’t fail my local branch (Nationwide). Usually you need to book an appointment 2 weeks in advance, but as my case was urgent…they set me up conference call with Area manager and things were sorted within 30 minutes instead of usual corporate 2 weeks.

My wife imminently switched from RBS after seeing that kind of F2F service.

I banked with Nationwide for about 15 years, the branches are good, but they're usually really busy lunchtimes and you queue for 20-30 mins.

The problem for me is there aren't many of them, there's 1 in the whole of Cardiff, which still closes half-day Saturday and 3 within a 30 min drive of where I live.

I got a bit fed up of being told "you'll have to pop into Branch" by their call centre. It's not a "pop" if your choice is a 30 min drive to another county or a hellish trip into Cardiff at the weekend.

They do a lot of things very well, but they seem to have found their niche with customers with a lot more patience than me.

Who is still using bank branches and why?

Not motorcyclists.

Was there a problem with your helmet perchy ?

How will you pay for your skinny latte when the contactless terminal won’t read your card or phone?

Services. Personal services.

The extra froth would make it a cappuccino though

problem with your helmet perchy ?

It's apparently very common in men my age.

Me because I like cash and I’m not even a terrorist or drug dealer.

Stood behind a women in France who paid for her groceries with a cheque 😩 A lot of places in France, Italy and Spain are amazed when you pay by contactless phone!