Banking

M&S Bank will close all of its current accounts on 31 August 2021, in a shock move that also resulted in it shutting all 29 of its in-store bank branches on 2 July. But credit card, loans and insurance customers aren't affected – we've full info on what's changing and what you need to do below.

Tesco Bank has announced it will close all of its 213,000 current accounts on 30 November 2021. But credit card, loan, insurance and most savings customers aren't affected – we've full info on what's happening and what you need to do below.

Twice a year we poll MoneySavers to check how their banks have treated them recently – 'great', 'OK' or 'poor'. Our summer poll closed this week. It's always surprising how well banks do generally compared with other sectors – here are the results, with links to banks that feature in our top picks.

Lloyds Gold, Platinum and Premier packaged bank account holders who use the services for free will have to pay between £15 and £28 to keep their accounts from October. For some, this fee will be taken automatically, so you need to act before 1 September if you don't want to pay. 

MoneySavingExpert.com is the UK brand most recommended by consumers, according to the findings of a new YouGov poll. 

Former and existing HSBC, First Direct, John Lewis Finance and M&S Bank customers have been receiving payments from HSBC Banking Group – which the lenders come under – out of the blue over the past 10 months, and we still haven't really been told why. We've been pushing HSBC for answers and have put questions to the bank from ourselves and a former whistleblower to find out what's going on.

29 Lloyds Bank branches and 15 Halifax branches are to close by the end of November, with the banks blaming the move on customers using them less. We've full info on which outlets are closing and what to do if your local branch is affected.

HSBC, First Direct, M&S Bank and John Lewis Finance are making a second set of payments to some customers who have been in arrears in recent years. Having previously paid some customers compensation for substandard service, they're now issuing refunds – in one case paying out over £7,000 – for interest and charges that shouldn't have been due. So if you get a cheque out of the blue, DON'T bin it thinking it's a scam or spam.

Barclays current account customers can get £36/year+ by opting into its Blue Rewards loyalty scheme – but if you're already signed up, you'll now need to be registered for online or app banking by 3 August to stay a member.

A pilot scheme in eight towns across the UK will test new ways to boost access to cash in local communities – with measures including local shops offering cashback, new 'bank hubs' in Post Offices and more free ATMs. And while it's a small-scale trial at the moment, if successful these measures could be rolled out more widely in future.