The Financial Conduct Authority has published its complaints data for the second half of 2025, naming the banks that received the most customer complaints across the country.
The figures make for instructive reading, both as a snapshot of where things go wrong in UK banking and as a reminder of the rights customers have when they do.
The Numbers
Lloyds Banking Group topped the list with 187,516 complaints across its brands in the six months to December 2025.
Lloyds Bank alone accounted for 90,837 of those, with Bank of Scotland adding a further 79,508.
Santander came in second with 78,349 complaints across its 14 million UK customers.
Barclays received 72,000, HSBC 67,308, and NatWest 61,842.
In total, customers made 1.9 million complaints about banks in the second half of last year. Complaints covered unfair treatment, mis-selling of products, and unclear contracts, among other issues.
Bank complaints: second half of 2025
| Bank | Number of complaints |
|---|---|
| Lloyds Bank | 90,837 |
| Bank of Scotland | 79,508 |
| Santander | 78,349 |
| Barclays | 72,000 |
| HSBC | 67,308 |
| NatWest | 61,842 |
Source: Financial Conduct Authority
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Understanding the Numbers
The raw complaint totals need some context.
Lloyds Banking Group has around 28 million customers, making it the largest bank in the UK by customer base.
A higher absolute number of complaints is partly a function of scale rather than necessarily a worse record per customer.
The more meaningful comparison is complaints as a proportion of total customers, which the FCA data does not present directly.
Of the 1.9 million complaints made in the period, just 55.5% were upheld.
That figure was down from 57.9% in the first half of the same year, meaning a smaller proportion of people who formally complained received any form of resolution in their favour.
Banks paid out £236.2 million to complainants across the period, with the average payout totalling £215.
That average covers everything from minor goodwill payments to more substantial compensation, so individual outcomes vary considerably.
What To Do If You Have a Complaint
If something has gone wrong with your bank, the process for challenging it is more straightforward than most people realise.
Step 1: Complain directly to your bank
Start by raising the complaint formally with your bank, either in branch, by phone, or in writing.
Banks are required to acknowledge your complaint promptly and provide a final response within eight weeks.
Keep a record of everything, including dates, names, and reference numbers.
Step 2: Escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service
If your bank rejects your complaint or does not respond within eight weeks, you can take it to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
This is a free, independent service that reviews disputes between customers and financial firms.
The Ombudsman can award compensation of up to £415,000 in some cases, considerably more than the £215 average paid out directly by banks.
The FOS route is significantly underused. Many people accept a bank’s rejection without knowing they have a further avenue available at no cost.
If you believe your complaint is legitimate and it has been turned down, the Ombudsman is worth pursuing.
Step 3: Know your time limits
You generally have six months from receiving your bank’s final response to refer the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman.
You also have six years from the event you are complaining about, or three years from when you became aware of a problem. Acting promptly matters.
