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Halifax is set to disappear from UK high streets after 173 years, with the brand name being replaced by Lloyds.
Halifax branches and customer accounts will eventually be renamed to Lloyds, and the Halifax brand will stop opening new accounts. Account numbers and sort codes will stay the same, although Halifax customers have been told will need to use the Lloyds app in the coming months for online banking.
Customers will be contacted directly through trusted channels, including the Halifax app, online banking, email and by letter, over the coming months.
Owner Lloyds Banking Group said Halifax branches will be rebranded to Lloyds over the course of 2027. There are currently 190 Halifax outlets but there are already plans in place to close a number of those and this announcement will not change that.
The bank also insisted the rebranding would not lead to job losses.
The Halifax Permanent Benefit Building Society, as it was originally known, was established in the West Yorkshire town in 1853. It was a loan and investment society for working people. Those with spare cash could deposit it and receive interest. Others could then borrow funds to buy or build a house.
It become the Halifax Building Society in 1873 but demutualised in 1997 when it listed on the London Stock Exchange. It merges with Bank of Scotland to form HBOS in 2001 but HBOS had to be rescued by Lloyds Banking Group at the height of the financial crisis. Andy Hornby, then boss of HBOS, was heavily criticised for its role.
Lloyds insisted it was “committed to its role in the town of Halifax, and the wider Yorkshire and Humber region”. It pointed out that it recently made a £116million investment its Trinity Road office in Halifax town centre and the 3,000 colleagues based there “will continue to play a key role in the Group’s future”.
The banks have confirmed there will be no change to Financial Services Compensation Scheme protection as part of this update. Anything customers have in existing Halifax accounts will continue to be separate to any balances in new Lloyds accounts.
FSCS protection means you can be compensated up to £120,000 per eligible person, per authorised firm, if a financial institution was to go bust. Halifax and Bank of Scotland have been part of Lloyds Banking Group since 2009.
Since early 2025, customers of all brands have been able to manage their accounts at all Halifax and Lloyds branches, regardless of the brand on their account. Lloyds has not announced any branch closures as part of this update.
Jas Singh, CEO, Consumer Relationships at Lloyds Banking Group: “As Halifax changes to Lloyds, our Halifax customers will keep everything they know and love today – the same fantastic app design, the same friendly faces in our branches – even the same sort code and account number. But as Lloyds customers, they’ll get the best innovation and experiences we offer.”
“Our Lloyds customers are already benefiting from a significant investment into propositions like Club Lloyds, Lloyds Premier, Lloyds Ultra and Lloyds Rewards – and now we’re really excited that Halifax customers can bank on Lloyds for more.”
