Thousands of NatWest customers were left without access to their banking services on Saturday after the bank’s mobile app experienced a major outage. The crash, which began in the early hours of the morning, left customers unable to check balances, transfer funds, or make payments, prompting frustration and worry among users.
The outage, lasting nearly ten hours, affected a significant portion of the bank’s user base, many of whom rely on the app for day-to-day banking. This disruption comes at a critical time, with many customers needing to pay bills, manage direct debits, and meet other financial obligations.
“I was trying to pay my rent this morning, but the app just wouldn’t open. I had no idea if the payment went through or if I was about to get a late fee,” said one affected customer, 28-year-old Hannah Clarke from Birmingham. Similar complaints flooded social media as customers expressed their frustration at being unable to access their own money during the outage.
NatWest acknowledged the issue on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “We’re aware of an issue affecting our mobile app and are working hard to resolve it. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused.” The bank later confirmed that services were gradually being restored but did not specify what caused the crash.
Industry experts have noted that the outage highlights the growing vulnerability of relying exclusively on digital banking solutions. “With the majority of customers now relying heavily on mobile apps, incidents like this demonstrate the risk of putting all services online without adequate contingencies,” said financial technology analyst Peter Donovan.
For customers like James Howard, who runs a small business, the crash brought real-world implications. “I couldn’t pay my suppliers this morning, which set my entire schedule back,” Howard said. “I depend on that app for everything. Without it, I’m practically paralyzed.”
This is not the first time NatWest has experienced technical issues. Earlier this year, the bank had a smaller outage that affected some ATM services and caused a similar backlash. The latest crash, however, appears to have had a wider impact, affecting customers nationwide.
With no clear reason yet provided for the crash, some users are now questioning the reliability of digital-only banking and are calling for improved transparency and communication from their bank.
NatWest stated that customers who incurred charges or financial loss as a direct result of the outage should contact their customer support, assuring them that the bank would assess compensation claims. However, many customers have expressed skepticism, citing past experiences where such claims proved difficult to pursue.
Amid growing dependence on digital banking, incidents like this one serve as a stark reminder of the importance of redundancy in financial systems. Customers, too, are reassessing how they manage their finances, with many considering opening accounts with different banks to avoid being stranded in the event of future technical failures.
While the app is now reportedly back online, many users remain shaken by the experience. For NatWest, it is a clear wake-up call that even minor disruptions in service can cause major issues for customers who rely on seamless access to their funds.
