Barclays continues to face significant technical issues more than 24 hours after an initial outage, leaving many customers unable to make payments or access updated account balances.
Ongoing Barclays IT Glitch Impacts Thousands of Customers
A major IT failure that started on Friday has yet to be resolved, causing disruptions for Barclays customers attempting to receive or send payments. The bank has warned that some users may see outdated balances, and transactions may not be reflected in their accounts.
Barclays has issued an apology, acknowledging the “ongoing technical issues that are impacting our customers’ accounts” and assuring affected individuals that they “will not be left out of pocket.”
Is the Barclays Outage Due to a Cyber Attack?
Sources from PA News Agency confirm that the outage is due to a technical malfunction and is not believed to be the result of a cyber attack. The disruption occurred on a critical date—January payday for many UK workers and the deadline for self-assessment tax returns.
Thousands of Barclays customers have reported issues with mobile banking, online banking, and bill payments, as per Down Detector, an outage-tracking service. However, Barclays ATMs remain functional, allowing cash withdrawals and card transactions.
HMRC Addresses Barclays Banking Disruptions
In response to the widespread payment issues, HMRC has assured taxpayers that late penalties will not be enforced before March 1, 2025. A spokesperson for HMRC confirmed they are “working closely” with Barclays to minimize disruptions.
Customers Face Financial and Personal Challenges Due to Barclays Outage
One of the most severe cases involves civil servant Paola Mereu, who claims her family has been left homeless after Barclays failed to process a crucial house payment. Mrs. Mereu and her family, who were relocating from Uxbridge to West Sussex, were unable to finalize their property transaction due to the outage.
“It was supposed to be the happiest day of our lives, but instead, we ended up homeless,” she told PA News Agency.
Currently, the family is staying with relatives while their moving van remains packed with their belongings.
Frustrated Barclays Customers Express Concerns on Social Media
Many affected customers have taken to social media to vent their frustration.
One user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote: “Due to Barclays, I’m left without money. My food shop was due for delivery this morning, and now it’s canceled, leaving my four kids without food.”
Another customer shared their embarrassment after being unable to pay for their shopping: “Had to put all my shopping back at Tesco—never been so embarrassed. I can’t access my own money!”
Barclays’ Response and Support for Affected Customers
In response to growing concerns, Barclays has advised customers to seek support from friends and family. The bank’s UK help account on X even directed customers to food bank resources.
Barclays issued another statement on Saturday evening, stating, “We’re extremely sorry for the ongoing technical issues impacting our customers’ accounts. We are working hard to fix the issue and will ensure that no impacted customer is left out of pocket.”
Customers are advised not to attempt duplicate payments and are assured that their cards and ATMs remain functional. Barclays has extended call center hours over the weekend and plans to proactively contact vulnerable customers affected by the outage.
When Will Barclays Banking Issues Be Fixed?
While the bank has not provided an exact timeline for resolution, Barclays has committed to keeping customers updated as soon as the remaining technical problems are resolved.
For the latest updates on Barclays’ ongoing outage, stay tuned for further announcements from the bank.
