NatWest customers were left fuming on Friday morning after the bank’s mobile app unexpectedly went down, locking thousands out of their accounts and freezing payments for several hours. The issue, which kicked off around 10am, meant people couldn’t log in, transfer money, or pay bills not ideal timing for a weekday.
By the afternoon, the bank confirmed the problem was sorted. “Customers can now access the app and make payments as normal,” a NatWest spokesperson said. “We’re sorry for the hassle this caused.”
But the damage was already done. Over 3,000 complaints were logged on Downdetector, with likely many more people affected NatWest has around 10 million mobile banking users. Social media lit up with angry customers unable to pay wages, settle bills, or move money between accounts. For some, it came at the worst possible moment.
The bank said the disruption stemmed from a recent update pushed out on Thursday, not a cyber attack, as some worried, especially in light of recent high-profile breaches at Marks & Spencer and Co-op. During the glitch, NatWest urged customers to try online banking, call in, or visit a branch if needed.
Tech issues like this aren’t exactly rare in UK banking. A Treasury Committee report earlier this year revealed that, in just the past two years, major banks have racked up more than 33 days of unexpected tech outages. NatWest alone had 13 serious incidents between 2023 and 2025, paying out nearly £350,000 in compensation. Barclays warned it could dish out up to £12.5 million for similar disruptions.
Why do these glitches keep happening? Common culprits include dodgy software updates, third-party tech providers dropping the ball, and internal systems failing at the worst times. Often, it’s just a domino effect.
Jenny Ross, money editor at consumer watchdog Which?, summed it up: “Banks are pushing us all towards mobile banking, so when the apps fail, it’s not just annoying it can really mess people up.”
She added that people could miss important payments, rack up overdraft fees, or even hurt their credit scores. “NatWest needs to keep customers in the loop and offer proper compensation where it’s due,” she said.
If you were affected, hold onto screenshots or proof of missed payments. And if you’re worried about a missed bill, contact the company you owe many are willing to waive late fees if you’re upfront about what happened.
The takeaway? Mobile banking may be convenient — until it’s not.
