Everyday Banking in Later Life

Last checked November 2026. Offers and rules change: confirm with the provider before you rely on them.

Bank branches are closing, but you do not have to bank online if you would rather not. These guides explain every way of managing your money in the UK today, from the Post Office counter and the new banking hubs to telephone banking, cheques and, if you want to try it, online banking done safely.

Banking has changed, but you still have choices

Thousands of bank and building society branches have closed over the past decade as more people have moved to banking on a phone or computer. For anyone who prefers to deal with a person, or who does not use the internet, that can feel as though the door has been shut.

It has not. You can still:

• take out and pay in cash, and pay in cheques, at almost any Post Office
• use a shared banking hub if one has opened in your town
• do most everyday jobs over the telephone
• pay bills by standing order, cheque, card over the phone or cash at a local shop

Your bank must help if you find things difficult

Banks are expected to make reasonable adjustments for customers who need them. You can ask for statements in large print, braille or audio, for a chip-and-signature card if you cannot manage a PIN, for a talking card reader, or for extra time and a quiet room at a branch. Tell the bank what you find hard; you do not have to give medical details.

The guides in this section

• Banking without the internet – telephone banking, branches, the Post Office and other ways to run an account offline.
• Bank branch closures and banking hubs – what happens when your branch shuts, what a banking hub is, and the roles of LINK and Cash Access UK.
• Post Office everyday banking – what you can and cannot do at a Post Office counter and what to take with you.
• Cash and cheques – how cheques clear today, paying one in, and the rules protecting access to cash.
• Online banking for beginners – a step-by-step start, and the safety habits that matter.
• Paying bills without Direct Debit – the other ways to pay, and what giving up the Direct Debit discount costs.

Is your money safe?

Money held in a UK-authorised bank, building society or credit union is protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) if the firm fails. At the time of writing (November 2026) the limit is £120,000 per person, per authorised firm; it rose from £85,000 on 1 December 2025. Some well-known banks share one authorisation, so check on the FSCS website if your savings are near the limit. You can confirm a firm is authorised on the FCA's Financial Services Register.

If things go wrong

Complain to the bank first, in writing if you can. If you are not satisfied with its final response, or eight weeks pass without one, you can take the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which is free and independent.

We do not give financial advice and we do not recommend or rank banks. For impartial guidance, try MoneyHelper, Citizens Advice or Age UK. For the wider picture, see our sections on money and entitlements and insurance in later life.

Common questions

Can my bank force me to bank online?

No. A bank can close a branch, but it cannot make you use the internet. Telephone banking, the Post Office and paper statements remain available, although you may have to ask for them.

Can I still get paper statements?

Yes. Many banks have switched customers to online statements by default, but you can ask to go back to paper. Most do not charge for a regular statement, though some charge for extra copies.

I do not have a bank account at all. What can I do?

The largest banks must offer a "basic bank account", which has no overdraft and no monthly fee, to people who do not qualify for a standard account. MoneyHelper lists the banks that offer them.