After 173 years, one of the most recognisable names on British high streets is disappearing. Lloyds Banking Group has confirmed it will scrap the Halifax brand, rebranding all customer accounts to Lloyds by the end of 2027. The move has sparked sadness and concern among customers and local politicians, but the bank insists that in practical terms, very little will change.
Lloyds Banking Group, which has owned Halifax since 2009, announced the decision in July 2026. All Halifax current accounts, savings accounts, and mortgages will be gradually moved to the Lloyds brand. The bank says customers will keep the same app design, branch staff, sort code and account number. No job cuts are planned as part of the rebrand, and Halifax branches will either be rebranded to Lloyds or merged with a nearby Lloyds branch throughout 2027.
“Explains the phasing out of the Halifax brand after 173 years, what changes for customers, and why it matters.”
Halifax began life in 1853 in the West Yorkshire town of the same name, granting its first mortgage that year. It grew to become one of the UK's largest building societies before converting into a bank and listing on the stock market in 1997. In 2001 it merged with Bank of Scotland to form HBOS. During the 2008 financial crisis, HBOS needed a £20 billion taxpayer rescue, and Lloyds took over the group in 2009. The Halifax brand was used for Lloyds' high-street banking products, with memorable adverts featuring singing bank teller Howard Brown in the 2000s. However, the distinction between the Halifax and Lloyds brands has become less prominent in recent years, and the group's 2025 annual report mentioned Halifax only rarely. The decision to drop the brand is part of a cost-saving "simplification" of Lloyds' portfolio.
For UK readers, the immediate impact is minimal: accounts will continue as before, with the same numbers and terms. But the loss of a historic brand marks another step in the consolidation of British banking. Halifax was set up specifically for working people, allowing savers to deposit money and borrowers to fund house purchases. Its disappearance follows other once-familiar high street names such as Midland Bank (part of HSBC) and Abbey National (now Santander). There are also reports that Santander could drop the TSB name, a brand dating back 216 years. The rebrand also comes amid wider branch closures: Lloyds recently announced 79 more closures, including 48 Halifax branches. The bank says customers increasingly use online and mobile banking, a trend accelerated by the pandemic.
Q: Will my Halifax sort code and account number change? No. Lloyds has confirmed that all account numbers and sort codes will remain the same throughout the transition and after the rebrand is complete.
Q: Is this a scam? How can I protect my money? Lloyds stresses it will never ask customers to move money, transfer funds, or share security details as part of the change. If anyone contacts you claiming to be from the bank and asks for such information, it is a scam. You can check in person at a branch if you are unsure.
Q: Why is the Halifax brand being scrapped? Lloyds says the decision is about simplifying its brand portfolio. The distinction between Halifax and Lloyds has become less clear to customers over recent years, and keeping both brands is no longer seen as cost-effective. The group made a £6.7 billion profit in 2025.
What happens next: Existing customers can no longer open new Halifax accounts on the app or website as of July 2026. Branches will be rebranded or merged throughout 2027. The long-term future of the remaining 190 or so Halifax branches remains uncertain, given the broader trend of branch closures across the industry.