NatWest has resolved a significant issue affecting its mobile banking app, restoring full functionality for customers. The outage prevented users from accessing accounts and completing transactions, impacting both personal and business activities, including payments and purchases.
Reports of widespread disruption began surfacing on Downdetector around 0910 GMT, with numerous customers subsequently voicing their frustration on social media. Many detailed how the outage interfered with daily tasks, such as shopping and payroll.
NatWest issued an apology for the inconvenience, clarifying that while its online banking platform remained operational, several customers reported contrary experiences. A spokesperson confirmed the resolution, stating that customers can now access their accounts and conduct transactions as usual.
While NatWest advised users to utilize alternative access methods, like online banking, some continued to report issues with the online service, including payment processing errors, as documented in social media posts.
Customer reactions ranged from expressions of inconvenience to sharp criticism of the bank’s communication and response time. Several comments highlighted the irony of branch closures and the increased reliance on digital banking, particularly given the app’s failure.
This incident is the latest in a series of significant banking outages. A May report revealed that 1.2 million UK customers were affected by banking app failures in 2024, while a March report highlighted over 800 hours of combined downtime across nine major UK banks and building societies since 2023.
These outages are not without financial consequences for the banks. The Commons Treasury Committee cited examples of substantial compensation payouts to customers, including £12.5 million for Barclays, £348,000 for NatWest, £232,697 for HSBC, and £160,000 for Lloyds, since 2023.
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