Several major UK banks have been affected by a global IT outage, with customers reporting they are unable to access online services.
Fights, train journeys and healthcare services have all been affected, with cyber-security firm Crowdstrike taking responsibility for the problem and claiming a faulty software update was to blame.
Here Which? reveals the banks that are experiencing disruption and what to do if you’ve been impacted.
What’s happening and why?
A worldwide IT outage has sparked chaos at UK airports and impacted other services including railways and even GP surgeries. Banks have also experienced disruption, with customers of some providers struggling to access online or mobile app services.
So what’s going on? Fears that the issue may have been caused by a massive cyber attack calmed after American tech firm Crowdstrike admitted the problem was caused by an update to its Falcon antivirus software, designed to protect Microsoft Windows devices from malicious attacks.
- Find out more: how to claim compensation for a delayed or cancelled flight or train journey
Which banks are affected?
Which? is aware of several banks in the UK currently experiencing problems with their services as a result of the IT outage. While there may be more, the below is a list of providers customers have experienced issues with today:
Santander
The high street bank is reporting disruption to online banking, cash machines, in-branch services and card payments.
Nationwide
Sky News has reported that Nationwide customers are having issues with online banking.
Lloyds Banks
According to Downdetector, a website that allows users to report IT issues, Lloyds customers have faced IT issues with online and mobile app services.
Metro Bank
Metro Bank posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, to say customers may experience issues with their phone lines due to the global IT outage and some payment services are also unavailable.
HSBC
The high street bank was also hit by the outage – online and mobile app services have been affected, with customers also facing issues with fund transfers, according to Downdetector reports.
NatWest
NatWest customers have also reported having trouble with online or mobile app services on Downdetector.
Barclays
The Independent newspaper reports that Barclays’ digital investing platform Smart Investor has been affected, with customers unable to manage their account in the app, online or over the phone.
When will it be fixed?
Sadly, there doesn’t appear to be any quick fix to the problem.
Writing on X, formerly know as Twitter, Crowdstrike chief executive George Kurtz said: ‘The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed.’
However, in an interview on NBC’s Today Show in the US, Mr Kurtz admitted ‘it could be some time for some systems that won’t automatically recover.’
Industry expert Adam Leon Smith of BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, warned that it could even take ‘weeks’ for all computers and systems to be fully restored.
‘The fix will have to be applied to many computers around the world. So if computers are getting blue screens and endless loops, it could be more difficult and take days and weeks,’ he said.
What can you do if affected?
If your bank or building society has been affected by the IT outage, here’s what you can do:
Contact your bank
If you can, go to your local bank branch – especially if you urgently need to access your money. If you don’t have a local bank branch nearby or transport to get to it, try and call your bank and ask for its guidance on what to do.
That’s assuming telephone banking isn’t also down. If that’s the case, or lines are busy, try contacting your bank on social media to ask what to do. But don’t ever share your account details over social media.
If you have no luck getting in touch with your bank and you’re not able to access your money, start gathering evidence for a complaint. Make a note of who you speak to, the time and dates of the outages, and keep receipts if you have to travel to the bank – this log will help to support a complaint if you’ve been left out of pocket.
Complain to your bank
Complain to the bank and ask for compensation to cover the losses and ask them to take all steps to put the situation right.
In your complaint, make sure you include:
- Who you spoke to at the bank during the outage – include when you spoke to them and what they advised you to do
- The losses you suffered as a result of the outage – include the service you wanted to perform, what happened to you as a result and any financial and emotional distress this caused you
- What you want the bank to do to put things right – include the amount of compensation you expect and when you expect to be compensated.
Unhappy with the bank’s response? Go to the FOS
If you’re unhappy with how the bank dealt with your problem, you can contact the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). The FOS can usually get involved 15 days after you’ve raised your concerns with the bank – and sometimes even sooner.
It official powers to help customers solve problems with their banks when people can’t agree and will look at the facts, ask questions and make a decision on the fairest course of action.
- Find out more: how to complain about your bank
