Once again, banking apps in the UK faced IT issues on payday. Lloyds Bank and Halifax experienced outages on Friday morning, as reported by numerous users on Downdetector. Users also encountered technical difficulties with the TSB and Bank of Scotland apps. Although the number of problem reports has decreased, the apps are now functioning normally, according to a spokesperson from Lloyds Banking Group. The organization apologized for the inconvenience, marking the second instance in 2025 where payday app users experienced disruptions, following a January incident affecting Barclays customers in the UK.
Retail editor Reena Sewraz from Which? expressed concern over the potential impact of these IT issues on customers, highlighting the risk of missed bill payments or essential service disruptions. Customers shared their frustrations on social media, with one business account holder unable to pay staff and another struggling to transfer funds due to app malfunctions.
The latest banking app problems have reignited discussions about the reliance on digital banking and the potential limitations it poses in accessing physical cash or bank branches. Campaign for Cash’s Martin Quinn stressed the importance of maintaining a strong bank branch network for face-to-face banking during downtime. Cybersecurity expert Patrick Burgess pointed out the fragility of traditional banking systems, emphasizing the strain on outdated infrastructure during peak periods like month-end.
Experts warn that failure to address these technical challenges could have significant economic consequences and erode consumer trust in traditional banks. Urgent modernization of IT infrastructure is advised to prevent further loss of confidence and customers in incumbent banks.
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