Santander says services are restored after hours-long technical glitch
Customers had reported being unable to use the app or their online banking.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Santander said its services have returned to normal after a technical glitch lasting much of Saturday saw customers unable to make payments.
The bank apologised for the inconvenience the problem caused.
Customers had reported being unable to use the app or their online banking.
Consumer organisation Whic ? said some people had reported not being able to buy food at the supermarket, while one person tweeted that they had an “unpleasant and embarrassing” experience when their card was declined in the queue as they tried to pay for petrol.
In a statement on Saturday night, a spokesperson said: “All of our banking services are now working as normal.
“We are very sorry for the inconvenience you’ve experienced today. If you need help, some of our branches will be open on Sunday from 10am to 12pm. We’ll publish a list of these tomorrow.”
These problems demonstrate why it is vital that banks invest to ensure their systems are up to the task of protecting their customers’ accounts
The bank had earlier assured customers that “no one will be out of pocket” as a result of the glitch.
Earlier in the day, the bank advised customers they could access cash from other banks’ ATMs.
Gareth Shaw, head of money at Which?, said the technical issues will have caused “stress for many Santander customers”.
He added: “These problems demonstrate why it is vital that banks invest to ensure their systems are up to the task of protecting their customers’ accounts and maintaining the services they rely on.”