Thousands of customers across the UK were unable to access their money after major web outages at NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), and Ulster Bank. The issue, which affected mobile and online banking services, left Brits frustrated as they struggled to log in and make payments.
Widespread Outage Sparks Customer Complaints
The outage, first reported by DownDetector, saw a surge of complaints from customers across social media platforms, particularly on X (formerly Twitter). Users voiced their concerns about the inability to access their accounts, leading to widespread disruptions for people relying on their mobile banking apps for everyday transactions.
- One NatWest user posted: “I just can’t log in. I have tried closing and re-opening the app.”
- Another frustrated customer added: “Literally can’t do anything we’ve got planned this morning until NatWest sorts this out.”
This disruption has come at a particularly inconvenient time for many, especially as reliance on mobile banking grows amidst the decline in physical branches.
Banks Respond to the Technical Glitch
Both NatWest and RBS, subsidiaries of the NatWest Group, have acknowledged the technical issues, informing users that they are working to resolve the problem. RBS posted online: “We are currently looking into getting this resolved. Thanks so much for your patience. We’re sorry for any inconvenience.” NatWest also assured customers via social media that their team is “working hard to get things resolved as soon as possible” but did not provide a time frame for when the issue would be fully resolved.
A NatWest spokesperson later confirmed to The Mirror that the issue had been resolved, saying: “Some customers experienced difficulty when attempting to log in and make payments via their mobile banking app and online banking this morning. This has been resolved and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
Impact on Millions of Customers
The outage has impacted millions of customers across the UK. NatWest Group, which includes NatWest, RBS, and Ulster Bank, serves over 19 million customers, many of whom depend on digital banking for their daily transactions.
As the bank continues to scale back in-person services by closing physical branches, issues like this only exacerbate frustrations for customers who rely heavily on mobile banking. While the outage has been resolved, many users are left concerned about the reliability of these services.
Can Customers Claim Compensation?
Banks aren’t automatically required to compensate customers for outages, but there may be circumstances in which affected customers can claim compensation. To do so, users will need to demonstrate how the outage negatively impacted them. For example, those who incurred late payment fees due to the inability to access their accounts could potentially recover those costs.
Here are the steps for customers seeking compensation:
- Document the issue: Keep a record of when the outage occurred and how it affected your ability to manage your finances.
- Gather evidence: Any additional costs incurred, such as late fees or penalties, should be documented with relevant receipts or screenshots.
- Contact customer service: Reach out to your bank with details of your claim, explaining how the outage impacted you financially.
