Barclays customers were left stranded abroad, with some unable to buy food for their newborns, as a major IT issue persisted for a second day. While the bank claims the problem has now been resolved, the technical glitch locked some customers out of their accounts, lasting overnight into 1st February.
Barclays confirmed that certain features on its app and online banking were affected, disrupting both incoming and outgoing payments. For many in the UK, the issue began on payday, Friday, 31st January, causing significant frustration.
Barclays Glitch Leaves Customers In The Lurch
Social media posts from Barclays customers revealed that some hadn’t received wages and couldn’t pay rent. Others mentioned being unable to pay taxes, bills, or mortgages. A Barclays customer (@DixonNatalie), in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on the evening of 31st January, called the ongoing issues ‘beyond ridiculous.’
‘I now have a newborn and two other children that I needed shopping for today. This has been ongoing since 10am!,’ @DixonNatalie added.
Barclays Apologises For IT Outage, Offers Limited Help
Barclays apologised for the customer’s problems, asking, ‘Do you have someone who can support you temporarily with the necessities you need for your baby and other children?’ Another customer responded, ‘Joke of a reply. No compassion, no customer service. I’ll be taking my banking elsewhere.’
According to the Telegraph, Barclays responded by sharing a link to a food bank when another user complained about being unable to access their funds. Another mother said she couldn’t buy milk for her baby because of the IT problem.
‘My four-month-old is out of milk powder and screaming for a feed, and I still haven’t been paid. I’ve been in tears for hours,’ she wrote. The deadline for self-assessment submissions to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) was 31st January.
There was concern that the outage would put Barclays customers at risk of late payment penalties. However, the tax authority confirmed that late payment fees would not be applied until 1st March.
‘We’re aware of the issues with Barclays Bank and are working closely with them to minimise any impact on self-assessment customers,’ an HMRC spokesman said. ‘Our services are working as normal, so customers will still have been able to file their returns on time. Also, the issues will not result in late payment penalties as they don’t apply until 1st March.’
Back Online
In an X post on 3rd February, Barclays announced that its systems were ‘up and running’ and directed customers to its FAQs for any remaining issues. The bank also shared a link to a blog post with more details about the recent disruption.
‘Everything is now working as it should be,’ the bank assured. Our teams are very busy because lots of customers are getting in touch at the moment. To save you waiting, please use our app, Online Banking and automated telephone service, if at all possible.’
Barclays attributed the disruption to a technical issue, assuring customers that protecting their money is their top priority. The bank also warned that fraudsters often use situations like this to send fake messages pretending to be Barclays.
The bank encouraged anyone who has been a victim of fraud to contact them at 0800 3891 652 to start a fraud investigation. Additionally, Barclays stated that any duplicate international payments were their mistake and would be refunded.
