On the morning of June 6, 2025, NatWest’s mobile banking app suffered a significant outage that left millions of customers unable to access their accounts or make payments, sparking widespread frustration across the UK.
The problems began around 9am local time, with users reporting error messages when attempting to log in. The app displayed notices such as, "Our mobile app is currently unavailable. We're sorry for any issues caused and we're working hard getting everything back up and running for you," urging customers to try the website instead. Despite this, many found themselves locked out entirely, unable to carry out essential activities like paying bills, making purchases, or transferring funds.
According to DownDetector, a website tracking online service outages, over 3,000 complaints were logged by 10am, with 66% related to mobile banking, 25% to mobile login, and 9% to online banking. The issue affected users nationwide, with reports flooding social media platforms, particularly X (formerly Twitter), where customers aired their frustrations.
One user lamented, "My NatWest app isn’t working. Your service status page says 'service working normally' where it clearly isn’t. My internet works perfectly fine hence this tweet from the same device." Another added, "NatWest Mobile Banking App is down... BUT WHY do they make you check whether it’s a fault at your end and their status page makes out everything’s ok when it isn’t? They've shut all the branches forcing travel to the big cities WHATS THE POINT." Others expressed the gravity of the situation during a cost of living crisis, with one stating, "Anyone else having trouble accessing the NatWest online banking app? It’s not ideal to lock people out of their accounts during a cost of living crisis." Another customer shared, "Need to travel to urgent medical appointment but can’t get there if my account isn’t working & the poxy app is down!"
NatWest confirmed the outage stemmed from an update made to the app on Thursday, June 5, 2025. The bank serves over 10 million daily mobile app users and an estimated 19 million customers overall. A spokesperson said, "We are aware that customers are experiencing difficulties accessing the NatWest mobile banking app this morning. We're really sorry about this and working to fix it as quickly as possible." They added that customers could still use online and telephone banking or visit a branch if necessary.
Despite these alternatives, some customers reported issues with the web-based online banking service as well. The website typically requires a code sent to the app for login verification, but NatWest advised users to request a text message instead, which should serve the same purpose. For urgent fund transfers, the bank recommended calling the number on the back of their card.
The outage came amid growing criticism of high street banks, which have faced a string of outages affecting customers, especially around the end of the month when many households receive their paychecks. Data gathered by the Treasury Committee in March 2025 revealed that nine of the UK's largest banks and building societies experienced over 33 days' worth of unplanned technology and system outages in the past two years.
NatWest itself reported 13 "material" incidents between 2023 and 2025, paying nearly £350,000 in compensation to affected customers. Barclays, another major bank, could face compensation payments up to £12.5 million for outages affecting millions of customers during the same period. Common causes for these outages include problems with third-party suppliers, disruptions from system changes, and internal software malfunctions.
Jenny Ross, money editor for consumer champion Which?, highlighted the serious consequences of such outages. She said, "Banks are encouraging more and more of us to rely on apps to do our essential banking, so when these go down it can be devastating. In the worst cases there's a risk that impacted NatWest customers may miss important bill payments, find themselves unable to pay for essential services or risk going overdrawn - issues which could come with knock-on effects like late payment or overdraft penalties, or affect their ability to get credit or borrow money." Ross urged NatWest to keep customers updated and compensate them swiftly, advising those affected to keep evidence of impacted payments in case they need to make a claim. She also recommended contacting companies involved with missed payments promptly to avoid late fees.
Customers expressed frustration not only at the outage itself but also at the bank’s response. Some criticized the lack of a clear timeframe for resolution, calling it "disgraceful" and "very poor service." Others pointed to the reduction of physical branches, arguing that forcing customers to rely heavily on digital services without sufficient investment in their reliability was problematic. One customer tweeted, "What I don't get is the bank closes loads of branches 'to save money' and forcing people to rely on the app and online banking... but clearly hasn't invested in a system that works properly."
In response to the outage, NatWest has pledged to make several improvements to its app over the coming months, aiming to offer a more personalized and robust user experience. The bank apologized for the inconvenience caused and confirmed that by later on June 6, the technical issues had been resolved, allowing customers to log in and make payments normally again.
This incident is part of a broader trend of increasing reliance on digital banking services amid a decline in physical bank branches, a shift that has intensified the impact of such outages. Dame Meg Hillier, chairwoman of the Treasury Committee, remarked in February 2025 that when a bank’s IT system goes down, it can be a "real problem for our constituents who were relying on accessing certain services so they can buy food or pay bills." She noted that the problem is worsened by the "rapidly declining number of high street bank branches," underscoring the critical need for banks to ensure the resilience of their digital platforms.
While banks are not legally obligated to pay compensation for service drops as telecom companies are, customers who incur costs due to outages—such as late payment fees—can often claim reimbursement. Experts advise keeping detailed records of any issues experienced, including communications with bank representatives, to support any claims. Customers are also encouraged to check banks’ dedicated news pages or use services like DownDetector to stay informed about ongoing outages.
As NatWest works to restore customer confidence and enhance its digital infrastructure, the episode serves as a stark reminder of how crucial reliable online banking has become in everyday life, especially during financially sensitive times.
