100,000 signatures reached
To: The UK Government
Don't cut people off from banking when closing branches
Change the law to give banks a 'duty of care' to protect customer's access to financial services. Ensure that when decisions are made on whether to close bank branches or ATMs, the needs of vulnerable customers are protected.
Why is this important?
Across the UK more than 2,800 bank branches have closed since 2015. This presents a huge challenge for many elderly and vulnerable people who often rely on speaking face-to-face to do their banking and may not have access to the internet. Many towns and rural communities are often cut off from banking services when the last bank branch in the town closes down.
Carolyn set up a petition after hearing the news that her local Lloyds branch in Buckley in Wales, was to close. Carolyn and other people in the local community, particularly the elderly and those with mobility issues, rely on the branch. If it were to close, Carolyn would have to travel over 4 miles away to the nearest bank, cutting her off from easy access to her money and face-to-face financial advice.
Banks only exist because we put our money there, they make obscene profits from the people of the UK. The government should ensure that the banking industry has a 'duty of care' to keep some branches open, and not exclude whole groups of people from access to financial services. Banks should have more than simply profit on their minds when making decisions to close branches, as these decisions have huge negative impacts on many people's lives.
