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Santander is closing seven branches across the UK today. It marks the latest round of closures of high street banks. The bank says it has seen a "rapid increase" in customers choosing to bank digitally, with 96% of all transactions now completed through digital channels. Since 2019, there has been a 64% rise in digital transactions, while financial transactions done in branches reduced by 66% in the same period, it said in January.

The bank added that, over the last year alone, there had been a 13% decrease in the volume of financial transactions taking place in branches. In January, cash access body Link announced four new banking hubs, bringing the total it has recommended to 250.

The announcement was made as Santander unveiled plans to shut 44 of its bank branches earlier this year. The newly announced banking hubs will open in four locations where Santander has announced closures, with Link's 250th banking hub recommendation in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire.

The three other hubs newly recommended are in Ormskirk in Lancashire, Wilmslow in Cheshire and Whitehaven in Cumbria.

Santander has said it plans to close branches in these locations by the end of January 2027.

Caroline Abrahams CBE, Age UK Charity Director, previously told the Express: "The continuing avalanche of bank branch closures means that there are considerably fewer opportunities for face-to-face banking than there were even just a couple of years ago. Older people living in rural and semi-rural areas are likely to be the hardest hit, but those in towns and cities are not immune.

"Our research found that more than four million older people with a bank account in Britain are not managing their money online and so are at high risk of digital exclusion."

The charity is calling for the protection of physical banking services for those who do not, or cannot bank online, and for the accelerated roll-out of shared banking hubs in areas where bank branches are "fast withering away".

Ms Abrahams added: "We applaud the banks for coming together to set up shared hubs, but it's important that alternative services are set up speedily, especially in those areas with the greatest need."

"Physical spaces - whether a bank or building society branch, banking hub, or alternative suitable provision - must continue to exist so people can still carry out face-to-face tasks such as withdrawing and depositing cash, applying for a loan, arranging third party access to their account or starting bereavement proceedings.

"The disappearance of face-to-face banking risks cutting a significant minority of the older population out of an essential service, making it difficult if not impossible for them to manage their money and maintain their independence."

• Bangor, County Down - April 29
• Bridgwater, Somerset - April 29
• Kirkintilloch, Lanarkshire - April 29
• Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire - April 29
• Newbury, Berkshire - April 29
• Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire - April 29
• Tonbridge, Kent - April 29

A spokesperson for Santander UK said earlier this year: "In response to a continuing and sizeable shift towards customers using digital banking, we are making changes to our branches to better support our customers.

"We will continue to invest in both our branch network - comprising of full-service branches, counter-free branches, reduced-hour branches, Santander Locals, and our increasingly popular Work Cafés - as well as our digital banking services, so we can be there to support our customers however they choose to bank with us."