Lloyds Banking Group has sent me details of what has been set up to help customers; you can read the full details here:
Support for your constituents affected by COVID-19
As we all try to adjust to the consequences of coronavirus for the United Kingdom, I wanted to update you on what Lloyds Banking Group is doing to help our customers and staff in your constituency, and to provide you with key contact details should you or your team require any specific help.
With the situation evolving rapidly, our focus remains on supporting our customers and our staff in light of evolving Government advice. We are working closely with other banks, the Government, the Bank of England and our regulators to respond with purpose to this unprecedented challenge, in an effort to minimise the scale and length of the economic impact on the UK. As an industry we have taken a number of steps already, and stand ready to do more in rapidly changing circumstances. At all times we will be guided by our duty to our customers and to the resilience of the UK economy.
Working with Government to mitigate the impact
The entire Group has been mobilised to ensure that we continue to serve our customers. The financial and operational resilience we have built over the past decade means we can do our part to support the economy. We are collaborating with Government on a cross-industry basis to build the support schemes announced in recent days by the Chancellor, and are working to implement the measures announced so far. We are helping identify what further changes will be needed across the financial services industry to keep the UK working. This is in addition to the current support that we have already announced for our business and personal customers. Details of what the Group is doing to help can be found on our dedicated coronavirus web pages here.
Supporting small businesses
As part of our £18bn lending commitment, we have earmarked £2bn in the first instance to help our small business customers, by waiving arrangement fees for new overdrafts, overdraft limit increases and new or increased invoice discounting and finance facilities. Repayment holidays will also be available for those businesses most affected. Our package has been designed to help businesses access additional finance quickly and manage the impact of supply chain interruptions or employee absence. We hope it will help minimise disruption to small businesses over the coming weeks and months.
We are working closely with Government departments to help the development and launch of the new aid schemes announced by the Chancellor in recent days. There is considerable technical work still to be done to turn direction into action, and this is receiving round-the-clock attention from the banking industry and the government.
Helping personal customers
For personal customers whose income might be affected by the effects of coronavirus we have put in place specific help. This includes no fees for missed payments on credit cards, loans and mortgages; payment holidays on mortgages and loans with additional support provided if needed; and emergency access to savings in fixed term accounts without charge if needed. We would urge any customer who is worried about their financial situation because of coronavirus to contact us.
Unfortunately, times of uncertainty can provide opportunity for fraudsters. We are reminding customers to stay alert to suspicious emails, calls or texts claiming to be from their bank. We will never call, email or text and ask customers to share their account details such as user ID, password and memorable information, tell us their PIN code, CVV number or move money to another account.
Online is the best way to contact us
Uncertainty is understandably driving worried customers to seek advice. We want to help them but are finding that the rise in demand means customers who choose to telephone us are having to wait to get through to our staff as we deal with exceptional call volumes. We urge customers who can either wait or who can find answers online to avoid telephoning if possible. But if they need to speak to us we will answer - it may just take longer than usual.
Business customers who need help can call us on 0345 072 5555 (Lloyds Bank) or 0345 300 0268 (Bank of Scotland) or contact their relationship team directly. Lines are currently open 7am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 2pm on Saturday, but arrangements are being reviewed in light of growing demand. Businesses can also find up-to-date advice on the Government’s ‘guidance for employees, employers and businesses’ website here. Again, we ask our customers to bear with us as we deal with a spike in demand at a time when, like everyone else, our staffing levels are being stretched.
Personal customers for Lloyds Bank can call us on 0345 6021997. For Halifax customers the number is 0345 7203040 and Bank of Scotland customers should call 0345 7213141.
In the same way, customers are likely to find that the branch service they normally receive may become limited or unavailable. Again, we ask everyone to bear with us as we work with our colleagues to find ways of providing a service while keeping them safe and healthy.
All of us at Lloyds are grateful for the great sacrifices being made by all those serving the country in a time of need. At Lloyds we are grateful to our branch and call centre staff who continue to support our customers at a time that is deeply worrying for all of us.
Lloyds Banking Group has served the UK though its iconic brands - Lloyds Bank, Halifax, Bank of Scotland, Scottish Widows - for centuries, through good times and bad. As a major UK institution, we are here to help Britain prosper. We will continue to fulfil that purpose and support our customers, communities and colleagues across the UK. I can assure you that we are reviewing all we do to ensure that we are focused solely on activity that helps the UK and its citizens get through this crisis.
PICTURED: At Lloyds Bank in Brentwood in 2019
