The complaints data, 2025
UK banks got 1.83 million complaints. Most were upheld.
Banks count on you not bothering. The official numbers say bothering works: in the first half of 2025, UK firms upheld nearly six in ten complaints and paid out £283.65m. Here is who gets complained about most, and what the data means for your own claim.
Source: FCA aggregate complaints data, H1 2025 (1 Jan to 30 Jun 2025).
The most complained-about UK banks
By total complaints reported to the FCA in H1 2025. Bigger banks naturally draw more complaints, but the volume shows how routine this is, you are far from alone.
| # | Bank | Complaints (H1 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Bank 90,837 + Bank of Scotland 79,508 | 187,516 |
| 2 | Santander UK | 78,349 |
| 3 | Barclays | 72,000 |
| 4 | HSBC UK | 67,308 |
| 5 | NatWest Group | 61,482 |
What the numbers mean for you
More than half of complaints are upheld by the bank itself. 57.88% of the complaints UK firms closed in H1 2025 ended with the firm siding with the customer. You do not need to win a fight; most of the time the bank settles once you put it in writing.
Even a “no” is not the end. When a bank rejects you and you escalate to the free, independent Financial Ombudsman, it overturned about 34% of consumer-brought cases in 2024/25, and 40% or more at many banking and credit firms. The ombudsman received 305,726 complaints that year, up 54% and the highest in six years.
Current accounts are the worst offender. 541,493 current-account complaints in H1 2025 make them the single most complained-about product. Unfair fees, overdraft charges and affordability are the recurring themes, the exact things Reclaim writes your letter for.
Add yourself to the side that gets paid.
If a bank has charged you unfairly, the data says a complaint is worth making. Reclaim turns your situation into a firm, ready-to-send letter that cites the right rules, plus the escalation ladder to the ombudsman if they stall. Free to start, you keep everything.
Questions
How many bank complaints are actually upheld?+
In the first half of 2025, UK financial firms upheld 57.88% of the complaints they closed, paying out £283.65m in redress (FCA data). So more than half of people who complained got something back. Even when a bank says no and you escalate to the Financial Ombudsman, it overturned around 34% of consumer-brought cases in 2024/25, and 40% or more at many banking and credit firms.
Which UK bank gets the most complaints?+
By volume in H1 2025, Lloyds Banking Group received the most (187,516 across Lloyds Bank and Bank of Scotland), followed by Santander, Barclays, HSBC and NatWest. Current accounts were the single most complained-about product, with 541,493 complaints (FCA, H1 2025).
Does complaining to my bank cost anything?+
No. Complaining to your bank is free, and escalating to the Financial Ombudsman Service is free too. The bank has eight weeks to give you a final response before you can take it to the ombudsman, who is independent and can order the bank to pay you back plus 8% simple interest.
What are people complaining about?+
Current accounts top the list, followed by credit cards and other banking products. Common themes are unfair or unexpected fees, overdraft charges, affordability and irresponsible lending, fraud and scams, and poor handling of disputes. If any of those sound like you, the numbers say a complaint is well worth making.
Sources
Figures from FCA aggregate complaints data (H1 2025) and Financial Ombudsman annual data (2024/25). A self-serve tool, not a law firm. General information, not legal advice.