Leeds Building society pledges to keep all 51 branches open for next five years in string of ‘promises’
Leeds Building Society has pledged to keep open all 51 of its branches until at least 2031, as the group announced a series of promises to its members.
The mutual has also said it will ensure that savings accounts are not offered exclusively to new customers, instead providing existing members with exclusive savings opportunities.
Speaking on the announcement, Annette Barnes, chief executive officer of Leeds Building Society, said: “As a building society we are owned by our members, so making decisions in their long-term interests is at the heart of how we operate.
“These promises put that principle into practice. We’re committing to the high street and giving members certainty that all 51 of our branches across the UK will remain open for at least the next five years, with consistent opening hours every weekday, as we continue to offer valuable face-to-face support alongside digital services.”
The mutual has also pledged that all of its branches will be open every weekday from 9.30am until 4.45pm, with no appointment needed.
It added that members will “always be able to speak to someone”, either by visiting the its branches or calling to discuss.
The society has also announced a promise that it will not offer any savings accounts that are only for new customers.
Existing savers will now receive exclusive savings opportunities, including a newly launched Branch Regular Saver product with an interest rate of 6.50 per cent.
Ms Barnes added: “We also believe loyalty should be rewarded, which is why existing members will have access to exclusive products rather than these being reserved for new customers.
“We’ve already launched a loyalty savings product, and our mortgage cashback offer, but there’s more to come as we continue to deliver lasting value for members.”
Alongside committing to a physical presence on high streets across the UK, Leeds is continuing to invest in its digital services and will be launching its first mobile app later this year.
The society has said it will also aim to pay more than the market average savings rate. Over the last ten years, the society has paid an average savings rate of 2.26 per cent compared to the rest of the market average savings rate of 1.49 per cent.
It added that members will be offered the “best available rate” for their chosen account when it matures. When given maturity instructions, the society will lock in the rate of a member’s chosen account or switch it to a new issue of the same account type if the rate increases before the new account starts,
Announcing its half-year results in July, Leeds Building Society said it had delivered a solid performance in the first half of 2026, as it continues to see “significant opportunity” during a period of economic uncertainty. The half year profit before tax landed at £70.7m, below the £104.4m recorded in the same period last year.
The mutual said this figure was in line with its growth plans and expectations. The UK’s fifth-largest building society has assets of £32.9bn and a total membership of around one million customers.
The group also revealed that savings balances increased to £26.4bn from £25.5bn in the same period last year while gross mortgage lending “remained strong” at £2bn, below the £2.6bn recorded in the first half of 2025.
Ms Barnes said she was “proud of all that we have achieved as a society in the first half of 2026.”