First Direct is axing its First Directory insurance bundle at the end of July 31, 2026. The product, priced at £15 a month, includes travel insurance, mobile insurance, and breakdown cover. It has not been available to new customers since 2020, but existing customers have been able to keep using it until now.
Coverage Details After Closure
First Direct confirmed the closure. Travel insurance will cover trips booked up to and including July 31, 2026, that start up to and including October 31, 2026. Mobile insurance covers devices purchased on or before July 31, 2026, up to October 31, 2026. Motor breakdown cover remains valid until October 31, 2026. Cover may end sooner if the policyholder turns 70, as the maximum age is 69. Current accounts remain unaffected.
Halifax Rebranding to Lloyds
In related banking news, Halifax is set to disappear from UK high streets after 173 years, with the brand being replaced by Lloyds. Halifax branches and customer accounts will eventually be renamed Lloyds, and the Halifax brand will stop opening new accounts. Account numbers and sort codes stay the same, but customers will need to use the Lloyds app for online banking. Customers will be contacted through the Halifax app, online banking, email, and letter.
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 accounts at all Halifax and Lloyds branches. Halifax branches will be rebranded to Lloyds over 2027. The group insisted no job losses would result. Lloyds Banking Group previously announced 79 new closures on top of 95 already planned, leaving 531 branches across the UK, about 190 of which were former Halifax outlets.
