LOCKED OUT
Barclays issues update as banking and mobile app down for third day with millions locked out of accounts
The bank has provided further information about the cause of the issue
BARCLAYS has issued a statement as its banking and mobile app outage enters a third day, leaving millions of customers unable to access their accounts.
The payment issues began on Friday when customers reported that they were unable to log into their mobile banking app and internet banking services.
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The outage meant that customers who needed to check if their salary had been paid into their account, or pay their bills, could not do so.
Barclays said the outage was caused by a technical issue and was not related to a cyber attack or any malicious activity.
A spokesperson said: “The technical issue impacting our customers on Friday and Saturday has been resolved and delayed payments processed.
“Customers can use our app, bank online, call us, use their cards and withdraw cash.”
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They added that the bank is still addressing some issues and said “we are working on bringing balances up to date for some of our customers”.
They said: “We are very sorry for any disruption and will ensure that no impacted customer is left out of pocket.
“We are keeping our call centres open for longer this weekend and we will be proactively contacting customers who may be vulnerable.";
Customers who are still experiencing difficulties should contact the bank to discuss their individual circumstances but wait times may be higher than usual.
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During the issues DownDetector, a website that monitors outages, showed that more than 5,038 people encountered problems with the bank’s online services.
More than 50% of the reported problems related to difficulties with mobile banking.
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Meanwhile, 42% of users said they have had trouble accessing Internet banking.
Other customers said they had problems checking their balance and making payments.
Some users said they could not see recent payments into or out of their account, which meant they had no idea how much money they have.
Customers who tried to log on to their mobile banking apps on Sunday morning were told: “Thank you for bearing with us.”
How can I check if my bank is down?
THERE are a few different ways to find out if your bank is experiencing an outage.
Senior consumer reporter Olivia Marshall explains how you can check.
If you are trying to send money to someone, or you just want to check if you have enough cash for a coffee, finding that your online banking is down can be a real pain.
Most banks have a dedicated news page on their website to show service problems, including internet banking, mobile apps, ATMs, debit cards and credit cards.
You can also check on any future work they have planned and what it might mean for you.
Plus, you can check websites such as Down Detector, which will tell you whether other people are experiencing problems with a particular company online.
The outage began on the day of the self-assessment tax return deadline, which is also the date by which you must pay the tax you owe.
If you fail to pay on time, you may be slapped with a penalty of up to £100.
Barclays said it will ensure customers are not penalised because of the outage.
If you were impacted by the issue then you should contact Barclays directly to ask for compensation.
You can do this by calling, using its online live chat service or visiting a branch.
Can I claim compensation for the outage?
Banks do not have to pay compensation to customers if there has been a drop in service, unlike telecoms companies.
If you have incurred extra costs as a result of service issues then you are likely to get your money back.
For example, if a bill payment does not go through because of the outage and you are charged a fee for missing it, you should be able to claim the money back.
If your credit rating is affected by the service outage and you receive a late payment fee because you were unable to make a transaction then you should keep a record of this.
If you speak to anyone to try and resolve the issue then write down their name and when you spoke to them, what you talked about and what they advised you to do.
You can find more information about how to complain on the Barclays website.
Gather evidence of the issue so you can make a formal complaint to your bank directly.
What can I do if I’m unhappy with the compensation?
If you are unhappy with how your complaint was handled then you can contact the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) for free.
The FOS is an independent body that will consider the evidence you present and make a decision about the actions your bank must take.
The FOS can usually get involved 15 days after you have raised concerns with the bank.
For IT system outages at a bank, the FOS said the compensation depends on your situation and if you lost out as a result.
If it thinks your bank has done something wrong and treated you unfairly, the FOS will ask it to put things right.
This will depend on your circumstances and how you’ve been affected.
It could include telling the bank to pay compensation to:
- Make sure you do not end up out of pocket
- Recognise the inconvenience and trouble you’ve been through
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It can also tell the bank to take steps to ensure you’ve not lost out any other way - for example by telling it to correct your credit file.
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