Barclays customers continue to experience disruptions with payments and transfers for a second consecutive day following a major IT outage. The technical problems, which began on Friday,
have also affected the bank’s mobile app and online banking services, leaving many unable to complete essential transactions.
Numerous customers have reported difficulties making payments, ranging from purchasing baby formula to finalizing house sales. While Barclays assured customers that card payments and ATM withdrawals were functioning normally, several users have contradicted this claim, stating they were unable to access their funds.
A Barclays spokesperson acknowledged the ongoing issues, stating that the bank is "working hard to fix the problem" and will "ensure that no impacted customer is left out of pocket." However, the bank has yet to disclose the cause of the outage or the number of affected customers.
Payment and service disruptions persist
By Saturday afternoon, Barclays’ website confirmed continued disruptions with its banking app and warned customers they may experience difficulties making and receiving payments. Additionally, the bank cautioned that its branches might be unable to assist with all queries due to the ongoing technical problems.
Customers were also alerted to potential fraud risks, with Barclays warning that "fraudsters often use times like this to send messages pretending to be Barclays." A message displayed on the bank’s website read: "We’re so sorry – we still have issues. You can use your card. We’re still experiencing issues making payments. Your balance may be incorrect, and some payments you made or are expecting to receive may not show. Please do not make the payments again."
Customers share their struggles
The outage has had a significant impact on many customers. Diane Forrest from Teddington, London, was unable to complete the purchase of a new house on Friday. She spent over four hours waiting outside the property with all her belongings in a removal truck but was left without an alternative solution. Forced to stay in a hotel for the weekend, she now faces additional costs and logistical challenges if the move proceeds on Monday.
Tim Horner, a businessman from Petworth, West Sussex, was unable to pay his staff or settle tax obligations with HMRC. He also reported losing thousands of pounds in revenue as his e-commerce platform, which operates with a Barclays account, was unable to process payments.
Ruth, a self-employed cleaner, struggled to access her savings for several hours to buy essential groceries and baby formula. Looking after six children, including an 11-month-old granddaughter, she said she was fortunate to have received temporary help from her teenage daughter but expressed concern for other single parents facing similar difficulties.
Emily from Exeter described her situation as "effectively homeless" after being unable to move into her new house on Friday. She spent the weekend sleeping on a friend’s sofa while her children stayed with relatives. Her removal van remained parked with all her belongings inside, and her two cats were distressed from prolonged confinement. "I’m a single mother who has worked incredibly hard for this, and to be left homeless is indescribable," she told the BBC.
Outage impact on tax payments
The outage coincided with the self-assessment tax return deadline on Friday, leaving many customers unable to make payments to HMRC. Earlier in the day, HMRC had urged millions of taxpayers to submit their returns before the deadline to avoid fines. However, the agency later reassured Barclays customers that the outage would not result in late payment penalties, as these do not apply until March 1.
A Barclays spokesperson confirmed that the bank was in direct contact with HMRC and reiterated that no customer would be financially disadvantaged due to delayed payments caused by the IT failure.
Banking outages becoming more common
This incident is the latest in a series of banking system failures affecting customers' access to funds. In November, PayPal suffered a global outage, and in June 2024, thousands of UK bank customers—including those with HSBC, Nationwide, Barclays, and Virgin Money—faced payment processing issues.
Barclays apologizes for continued issues
Barclays has issued an apology for the disruption, acknowledging that some customers may see outdated account balances and missing transactions. "We’re working hard to fix this issue, and customers should not try to make the payment again," a spokesperson said.
The bank reassured customers that they could still use their cards and withdraw cash, promising to update them once all issues were resolved. Barclays also extended call center hours over the weekend and stated it would proactively reach out to vulnerable customers affected by the outage. Photo by GroupEditor, Wikimedia commons.