Barclays customers across the UK continue to face significant issues with accessing their accounts, as the bank's IT systems remain troubled following major outages over the weekend. On Friday, Barclays confirmed it was dealing with intermittent errors affecting payments and account access, saying they were 'currently facing intermittent errors' with their systems.
The bank has publicly acknowledged the frustrations of its customers, who have reported being locked out of their accounts for nearly 24 hours. "We are incredibly sorry for the situation and are aware of the impact this is having on our customers' daily lives," said a Barclays spokesperson.
Customers flooded social media with complaints of inaccessible funds, particularly pressing as the outage coincided with January paydays for many working Britons. Reports on outage tracker Down Detector indicated hundreds were unable to make payments or check balances correctly as the bank continued to experience technical difficulties. This has left many, including parents struggling to feed their children, feeling desperate.
One customer, highlighting the severity of the situation, lamented, "Due to you Barclays, I’m left without money for my food shop which is due for delivery this morning. My four kids will go hungry, and it's my money!" Others echoed similar sentiments, pointing to instances where they had to return groceries to supermarkets due to lack of access to funds.
The issues arise just as the deadline looms for self-assessment tax returns, adding to customer anxieties. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced it is working closely with Barclays to manage the fallout from this debacle, ensuring no late penalties will apply until March 1 due to these technical problems. An HMRC spokesperson stated: “Our services are working as normal, so customers will still have been able to file their returns on time.”
Barclays has reminded customers through various social media channels not to attempt to initiate payments again, as this could lead to double transactions or additional errors. They confirmed ATMs remain unaffected, allowing customers to withdraw cash and use cards where possible.
Among those deeply affected by the extended outage was 39-year-old civil servant Paola Mereu, who, just as she was about to finalize her new home, found herself homeless when the payment to complete her house sale could not go through. "We had sold our home and were ready to move; we had everything set up but were unable to complete at the last minute due to Barclays' technical issues," Mrs. Mereu explained. Now she and her family are forced to stay with relatives with all their belongings still packed away.
Frustrated by the bank's response, customers called upon Barclays for immediate rectification to restore access to their accounts. A number of them stated they had to reach out to families for temporary financial support. The bank has also recommended customers struggling to overcome these shortcomings connect with local food banks for urgent needs.
Barclays has pledged to support all affected customers financially, stating they will not leave anyone at a loss due to these problems. A spokesperson emphasized: "We will make sure no customer is left out of pocket and are working diligently to resolve these issues as quickly as possible." Meanwhile, social media remains ablaze with comments directed at the bank, urging it to take immediate action.
The basic operational structure of online banking and payment systems has been affected, leading to accusations of inadequate communication from Barclays to its customer base during this tumultuous period. Customers have voiced opinions about the urgency of resolving such faults, particularly when it involves something as fundamental as access to earned wages.
Looking to rebuild trust, Barclays continues to work on fixing the problems as tens of thousands wait with bated breath for their access to return to normal. The bank's desperate efforts are evident as it has announced extended hours for customer service support throughout the weekend to accommodate those affected.
At this point, many Barclays customers are left with their lives hanging as they grapple with the chain reaction of challenges arising from the unexpected outages. From missed payments to increased anxieties about housing stability, the circumstances have underscored how integrated banking systems are to everyday life.
Overall, Barclays continues to address the crisis as it formulates solutions to restore affected systems. Customers, on the other hand, are left hoping for swift resolutions to regain access to their finances.