Halifax brand to be scrapped after 173 years

Close-up image of a Halifax sign in blue and white, hanging off a traditional high street building. — Image caption,

Halifax was founded in the West Yorkshire town in 1853

The Halifax brand is being scrapped after 173 years, with all customer accounts to be rebranded to Lloyds.

Lloyds Banking Group, which has owned Halifax since 2009, confirmed the move after reports in May said it was considering phasing out Halifax as a standalone brand.

Lloyds said it remained committed to the town of Halifax and the wider Yorkshire and Humber region, where 3,000 staff are based at its Trinity Road office.

Lloyds Banking Group’s chief executive of consumer relationships Jas Singh said very little would change for customers.

“As Halifax changes to Lloyds, our Halifax customers will keep everything they know and love today – the same fantastic app design, the same friendly faces in our branches – even the same sort code and account number,” he said.

No job cuts are being announced as part of the shake-up, and Halifax branches will either be rebranded to Lloyds or shifted to a nearby branch throughout 2027.

It is understood the decision was rooted in efforts to simplify the group’s portfolio, with the distinction between Halifax and Lloyds seen as becoming less prominent in recent years.

The Halifax was founded in West Yorkshire in 1853, granting its first mortgage the same year, before growing to become one of the UK’s largest building societies.

Calderdale Council’s Reform leader Dan Sutherland said he was “disappointed” that Lloyds Banking Group has decided to phase out the use of the Halifax brand.

“We know the Halifax brand is important for many generations of local people who care about the town’s heritage and are proud of the brand’s part in our local traditions, family history and Halifax’s profile across the world,” he said.

“As Calderdale’s largest employer, the banking group’s relationship with Halifax as a place remains strong and enduring.

“We are reassured Lloyds has made it very clear the business is absolutely committed to the town, having recently invested £116m into a major transformation of the iconic head office building at Trinity Road, to make it fit for the future.”

Calderdale Labour Group said the bank was “part of our town’s identity and heritage”.

In a statement, the group said: “For generations, local people have been proud of the name and what it represents.

“While we welcome the commitment to keep branches open and protect customers’ accounts, many residents will be saddened to see such an iconic name disappear from our high streets.”