Lloyds Banking Group has announced that Halifax will be phased out over time, with customers gradually transferred to Lloyds-branded accounts as part of a major overhaul of its retail banking business.

The decision marks the end of one of Britain’s best-known banking names, which has been part of the high street since 1852.

The banking giant says the transition will happen gradually and insists customers will not lose the features they currently use.

What happens to Halifax customers?

Lloyds says existing Halifax customers will eventually become Lloyds customers, but they will keep many of the things they already have during the transition.

That includes:

• The same account number and sort code
• The same banking app design
• Access to the same branch network
• The same familiar staff in branches

Jas Singh, Lloyds’ consumer relations boss, 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.

“But as Lloyds customers, they’ll get the best innovation and experiences we offer.

“Our Lloyds customers are already benefiting from a significant investment into propositions like Club Lloyds, Lloyds Premier, Lloyds Ultra and Lloyds Rewards – and now we’re really excited that Halifax customers can bank on Lloyds for more.”

Why is Lloyds making the change?

The banking group is simplifying its consumer banking business by bringing Halifax customers under the Lloyds brand.

Lloyds says this will allow customers to benefit from newer banking products and services already available through its flagship brand, including Club Lloyds, Lloyds Premier, Lloyds Ultra and Lloyds Rewards.

Will anything change immediately?

No.

The changes will happen over time, meaning customers do not need to do anything straight away.

There is no indication that customers will need to change their debit cards, direct debits or standing orders immediately, with Lloyds saying account details will remain the same throughout the migration.

Branches are already shared across Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland, meaning customers can continue banking as they do now while the transition takes place.

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Will Halifax branches close?

Lloyds has not announced any branch closures as part of the rebrand.

The group has previously invested in its Halifax headquarters and says customers will continue to have access to its branch network during the migration.

The decision represents one of the biggest changes to Britain’s banking landscape in recent years, bringing the curtain down on a brand that has served customers for more than 173 years.

What do you think of the changes? Tell us in the comments below.

Last month, the renowned French chef was at Brasserie Blanc in Walton Street, Jericho as the chain celebrated its 30th birthday.

At the end of a four-course meal he and his staff team served to invited guests, the 76-year-old was presented with a chef’s jacket signed by current and former members of staff at the restaurant.

Now Raymond Blanc has told The Times that although he still has a role at Le Manoir, and at Brasserie Blanc, he has handed over some of his work commitments so he can focus on spending more time with his family, including partner Natalia Traxel.

Raymond Blanc with partner Natalia Traxel (Image: Andy Ffrench)

He launched Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons at Great Milton in 1984, and in the four decades of its existence, the restaurant retained its two Michelin stars, including for 2025, making it 41 years in a row.

Le Manoir, now owned by Belmond, is currently closed on a temporary basis, after shutting its doors on New Year’s Day for a year and a half of refurbishments and renovations.

Some major changes have already taken place after five months of closure, with sculptures being removed from the site, including the large artichoke statue from the car park.

An aerial view of Le Manoir (Image: Ed Nix)

The celebrity chef, who will have the title of lifetime ambassador and founder” when Le Manoir reopens next year, explained how difficult it had been to make the temporary closure announcement.

He said: “You have to understand this was not a surprise decision. It was six years in the making, which included over two years applying for planning permission but that doesn’t mean there weren’t elements of sadness.”

One of the toughest parts was telling the staff – hundreds of people including some who had relocated to Oxfordshire to work at Le Manoir, whether it was in the kitchen, tending to the gardens and orchards, or cleaning the 32 rooms and suites.

“It was a very traumatic time,” said the chef.

Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir (Image: Newsquest)

“People who had houses, mortgages and kids in local schools suddenly had to reorganise their lives. Newspapers said everyone lost their jobs but that is absolutely not true. We managed to find more than 85 per cent of staff new jobs.

All through Christmas we were all on the phone – including myself – finding them for people.”

In January it was announced that one of France’s most decorated chefs, Arnaud Donckele, who has two three-star restaurants there, would be taking up the role of culinary director

A priority this summer for Raymond Blanc is to cut back on the number of days he is working in a row.

Chefs at Brasserie Blanc (Image: Andy Ffrench)

“I have not taken longer than 10 straight days off in 40 years. Usually I only take 20 a year,” he added.

From mid-July he will be taking a whole month off. 

“When I opened Le Manoir life was crazy. I was working, working, working and life at home was really suffering. So I am looking forward to spending more time with my family.”

SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

WorkJam has published research showing that more than half of UK manufacturers have reduced or slowed hiring in the past six months. The survey also found that 76% are using AI in workforce or production operations.

The findings suggest the sector is trying to contain rising costs while dealing with recruitment, retention and regulatory pressure. Of the 142 manufacturing professionals surveyed, 19% said reducing costs was now the industry’s biggest challenge.

Hiring has been one of the clearest pressure points. Some 52% of organisations said they had reduced or slowed recruitment over the past six months, while 24% said rising labour costs and productivity pressures were slowing hiring in skilled production and engineering roles.

Another 23% said they were increasing prices to offset higher costs. At the same time, workforce issues remained prominent, with 16% identifying employee engagement as a leading challenge and 15% citing retention.

The data suggests manufacturers are not only responding to cost inflation but also reshaping labour management decisions. Nearly 40% of respondents said the Employment Rights Bill and wider labour regulations had already forced them to change how they manage their workforce.

Across the wider sample, 67% said current pressures were leading them to rethink how they manage and organise operations. Half said cost control now takes priority over employee experience and workforce enablement.

AI uptake

AI use appears broad but uneven. While more than three-quarters of respondents said their organisation was using AI to support workforce or production operations, only 11% said they had deployed it at scale.

That gap points to limited operational maturity despite strong interest in the technology. Just 7% said their primary reason for investing in AI was to improve the shopfloor experience, with most efforts instead focused on efficiency and productivity.

The results suggest manufacturers are treating AI mainly as a tool to manage output and costs rather than as a direct way to improve day-to-day working conditions for frontline staff. This comes as companies continue to weigh immediate financial constraints against longer-term workforce needs.

Workforce strain

The survey was conducted at Smart Manufacturing Week 2026 and reflects responses from a relatively small but targeted group of industry professionals. Even so, the pattern is consistent: businesses are trying to absorb higher employment costs without losing the experienced staff needed to keep factories running smoothly.

This creates a difficult position for employers in production and engineering, where specialist skills can be hard to replace. Slower recruitment may ease short-term spending, but it also risks adding pressure to existing teams if vacancies remain unfilled.

WorkJam said the findings showed manufacturers were trying to manage cost pressure while maintaining engagement and retention among frontline workers. The company, which sells employee engagement software for frontline sectors, said the results showed spending discipline and workforce support are now being weighed side by side.

Mark Williams, Managing Director, EMEA, at WorkJam, said: “Manufacturers are currently facing difficult business decisions, but as the findings suggest, many also recognise that reducing costs cannot come at the expense of workforce capability.

“Engagement and retention remain high on the agenda because experienced frontline and production employees play a critical role in maintaining productivity and operational performance. Manufacturers now need to invest in technology, such as AI-powered frontline employee engagement platforms, to improve efficiency and simplify operations while continuing to provide managers and frontline teams with the support they need to do their jobs effectively.”