Barclays Bank is currently facing technical issues, affecting payments and transfers for many customers. As a result, essential transactions—such as buying baby milk or completing house moves—are being delayed. Additionally, the bank’s app and online banking services have been impacted. However, Barclays confirmed that ATMs and cards are still operational for some customers, although others have faced difficulties using them.
Frustration Among Customers
Naturally, many customers are frustrated by these disruptions. For example, some reported that their cards were declined, even though they had enough funds. Others mentioned that their January wages had not been processed. One family, in particular, shared how they were unable to move into their new house because the payment hadn’t gone through due to the issues. Scott, 27, and his pregnant wife had to wait in their car after selling their house but not being able to buy the new one.
Furthermore, Ruth, a self-employed cleaner, explained how she couldn’t access money from her savings account to buy essentials, including milk for her baby. She raised concerns for others in similar situations, especially single mothers who might not have the means to survive during the outage.
IT Problems Affect Millions
Barclays is one of the largest banks in the UK, serving over 20 million retail customers. The bank processes more than 40% of the country’s credit and debit card transactions. According to Downdetector, thousands of people have reported experiencing issues with the bank’s services.
Self-Assessment Tax Return Deadline Affected
In addition to the payment problems, Friday was the deadline for self-assessment tax returns. Consequently, some customers could not make necessary payments to HMRC. Although HMRC had warned of £100 fines for late submissions, they reassured customers that they were working closely with Barclays to minimize the impact of the outage. Importantly, HMRC confirmed that no penalties would be issued for delayed payments, as these won’t apply until March 1.
Barclays Takes Responsibility
In response to the situation, Barclays has assured its customers that it is in direct contact with HMRC and is working hard to fix the problem. The bank further stated that no customer would be left out of pocket due to delayed payments caused by the outage.
Previous IT Failures
This isn’t the first time Barclays has experienced an IT failure. In 2022, several major UK banks, including Barclays, suffered from issues related to a payment system. Additionally, PayPal faced a notable outage in November, which impacted global customers. More recently, a major global IT failure in 2023 disrupted retailers’ ability to process card payments.
Cybersecurity and Digital Resilience
Experts are highlighting the importance of strong IT systems. Dan Card from the Chartered Institute for IT (BCS) emphasized how cybersecurity and digital resilience have become crucial to everyday life. The Barclays outage has once again underscored the need for robust computer systems to avoid widespread disruption.
