Halifax customers are being moved to Lloyds after it was confirmed that the Halifax brand is shutting down. The move affects all Halifax banking and savings customers, as well as borrowers with mortgages, credit cards or loans.
Halifax is part of the same family as Lloyds and the Bank of Scotland, but over the coming months the Halifax brand will disappear entirely, with all customers being transferred to Lloyds. Customers using Halifax mobile and online banking services are being warned to switch to the Lloyds app before October 31, when the Halifax service will close.
What Halifax told customers
Halifax told customers: "We’ll be in touch to move you to the Lloyds app and online banking as we’ll be closing these for Halifax. They work in a similar way so should feel familiar and just as easy to use."
"We’ll send you an invitation in the app and online banking, so you’ll know it’s from us. It’ll guide you through the process in just a few easy steps, with no passwords or memorable details to set up. We’ll also email you around the time the invite will appear, so you don’t miss it."
From October 31, customers will need to be using the Lloyds app. Once moved over, the Halifax app will stop working. If customers try to log in to the Halifax app from November 1, they will see a message saying the app is not in service and that they need to register for the Lloyds Bank app.
Accounts stay the same
Despite the move, customer accounts will remain unchanged. Halifax said customers will keep their original account numbers, sort codes, card details and PINs. Standing orders and direct debits will also remain unchanged.
Halifax was founded in West Yorkshire in 1853 and grew to become one of the UK’s largest building societies. Its building society status disappeared in 1997 after listing its shares on the London Stock Exchange, before merging with Bank of Scotland and later being acquired by Lloyds Banking Group.
Brand scrapped after 173 years
Lloyds confirmed it was scrapping the Halifax brand after 173 years on the high street in July this year, following earlier reports that it was considering phasing out the brand. The decision was understood to be rooted in efforts to simplify the group’s portfolio, with the distinction between Halifax and Lloyds seen as becoming less prominent in recent years.
At the time of the announcement, Lloyds said it remained committed to the town of Halifax and the wider Yorkshire and Humber region, having recently invested £116 million in the Trinity Road office where some 3,000 staff are based.
