The Halifax brand is being scrapped after 173 years, with all customer accounts to be rebranded to Lloyds in a move that will erase one of the UK's oldest banking names from the high street.
Lloyds Banking Group, which has owned Halifax since 2009, confirmed the decision after reports in May said it was considering phasing out Halifax as a standalone brand. The group said the move was rooted in efforts to simplify its portfolio, with the distinction between Halifax and Lloyds seen as becoming less prominent in recent years.
“Halifax brand to be scrapped after 173 years, with all accounts rebranded to Lloyds.”
Halifax Labour MP Kate Dearden described the decision as "bitterly disappointing" and said she had been in discussions with Lloyds to "ensure their commitment and continued investment in Halifax long into the future". She called the bank a "local institution built on the hard work and investment of working people".
Despite the brand's disappearance, Lloyds insisted very little would change for customers. Jas Singh, the group's chief executive of consumer relationships, said: "As Halifax changes to Lloyds, our Halifax customers will keep everything they know and love today - the same fantastic app design, the same friendly faces in our branches - even the same sort code and account number."
No job cuts are being announced as part of the shake-up, and Halifax branches will either be rebranded to Lloyds or shifted to a nearby branch throughout 2027. Lloyds said it remained committed to the town of Halifax and the wider Yorkshire and Humber region, where 3,000 staff are based at its Trinity Road office.
The Halifax was founded in West Yorkshire in 1853, granting its first mortgage the same year, before growing to become one of the UK's largest building societies. Calderdale Council's Reform leader Dan Sutherland acknowledged the brand's significance, saying: "We know the Halifax brand is important for many generations of local people who care about the town's heritage and are proud of the brand's part in our local traditions, family history and Halifax's profile across the world."
He added that the relationship between Lloyds and the town would remain "strong and enduring", pointing to a recent £116m investment into a major transformation of the iconic head office building at Trinity Road. Calderdale Labour Group said the bank was "part of our town's identity and heritage".
Dearden struck a cautiously optimistic note: "While the Halifax brand will disappear, Lloyds can still play a major role in our local economy by investing in Halifax and creating the opportunities our young people need to thrive."