Most charities that have accounts with Barclays have experienced banking issues, according to a survey of trustees.
The Charity Commission reported this week that 58% of Barclays customers reported banking issues, compared with 38% of trustees generally.
Its survey of more than 2,500 trustees in England and Wales, conducted in February, found that overall, fewer had reported banking issues for their charity than in 2024 (42%).
However, the commission said banking remains a problem for many charities, with difficulties updating contact details and signatories still the most prevalent issue (30% of respondents).
Besides Barclays customers, charities with incomes between £10,000 and £100,000 were also more likely to report banking issues (40%).
Holly Riley, head of strategic policy at the commission, said: “We’re pleased to see a slight improvement in trustees’ reported experiences with banks.
“However these figures underline that accessing appropriate banking services is still a significant issue for many.
“We’ve heard first-hand how issues such as sudden account closures can be incredibly stressful for trustees who are often balancing their charitable duties alongside work and family commitments.
“These banking disruptions aren't just administrative headaches – they can threaten a charity's very survival by cutting off access to funds and jeopardising vital services for the communities that depend on them.”
Barclays sets up dedicated team
In consultation with the commission, Barclays Business Bank set up a dedicated team for charity customers earlier this year, including staff who have received specialised training to understand the needs of the sector.
A Barclays spokesperson said: “We are steadfast in our commitment to supporting the UK charity sector and are proud to provide a tailored banking offering for charitable organisations, which play such a vital role in our communities.
“We actively listen to our customers’ feedback and are continually investing to improve customer service.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for UK Finance said: “The banking sector is proud to support a large number of charities and other voluntary organisations, and we are pleased to see that the Charity Commission’s report has shown fewer trustees reporting banking issues.
"We will continue to work alongside the charity sector to make sure banking for charities is as easy and accessible as possible,” they added.
CFG launches guide around banking issues
Commenting on the study's findings, Clare Mills, the deputy CEO of the Charity Finance Group (CFG), said the new research “reflects the results of our own, conducted in 2024, which showed charity leaders are encountering a wide range of difficulties with their banking services”.
“For the past three years, CFG has been working more closely with UK Finance and a number of banks to pinpoint where these occur and how they can be tackled," she said. "The banks we’ve been working with have shown real commitment to ironing out some of these problems but, as this latest research shows, there’s a way to go.”
To support these efforts, CFG has launched a new guide around communicating with banks, Mills added, aimed at supporting charity leaders, including trustees and finance professionals, with raising issues or concerns.
“As the new report shows, charities are doing incredibly important work in increasingly difficult financial circumstances,” she said.
“Banks have begun to recognise this, but to ensure they are supporting and not hindering charities’ vital work, we want to see real improvements to banking services for charitable organisations.”
Mills said the CFG will rerun its charity banking survey in spring 2026, adding: “We hope the data will show a positive change – but we will keep up or work with the banks in the meantime.”
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