HSBC threatens to shut down bank accounts of customers who refuse to wear a face mask in its UK branches

• Head of branch network said company ‘reserves right to withdraw’ accounts  
• Other banks have encouraged customers to wear face coverings where possible 
• Warnings come as UK recorded its highest ever coronavirus death toll of 1,564 

HSBC has threatened to shut down the bank accounts of customers who refuse to wear a face mask in its UK branches.  

Jackie Uhi, head of branch network, HSBC UK said that the company ‘reserves the right to withdraw’ the accounts of any customer who won’t wear a face mask. 

She said: ‘Sadly, some people are failing to protect themselves, our branch colleagues and other customers by refusing to wear a face covering inside our branches or observe social distancing.

‘Our colleagues deserve respect and should not have to face violent or abusive behaviour. Consider whether you need to visit the branch or could manage your banking from the safety of your home via our digital channels.

‘If you do visit us, please wear a face covering and maintain a safe distance from others. If individuals put themselves or our colleagues at risk, without a medical exemption, we reserve the right to withdraw their account.’

HSBC has threatened to shut down the bank accounts of customers who refuse to wear a face mask in its UK branches

Jackie Uhi, head of branch network, HSBC UK said that the company ‘reserves the right to withdraw’ the accounts of any customer who won’t wear a face mask

Other banks have come forward in the wake of HSBC’s statement to outline their stances on customers not wearing face coverings. 

TSB’s director of branch banking, Carol Anderson, told The Mirror: ‘If individuals put customers or colleagues at risk, we will take appropriate action.’

Santander said that while they encourage all their customers to wear a face mask and maintain social-distancing measures, they will not be enforcing account closures.  

Lloyds bank, which owns Halifax and the Bank of Scotland stated that face coverings are essential but didn’t state whether they will be closing the accounts of those who refuse to wear masks.  

Other banks have come forward in the wake of HSBC’s statement to outline their stances on customers not wearing face coverings

Nationwide and Natwest also encouraged its customers to wear face coverings. 

And a Nationwide spokesman told The Mirror: ‘All branches are perfectly within their rights to refuse to serve anyone not wearing a face covering, unless they are medically exempt.’ 

Trade union Unite, which represents bank staff among others, is calling for the wearing face coverings to be made mandatory in all bank branches.  

The warnings come as the UK recorded its highest ever coronavirus death toll of 1,564. 

After the UK recorded its deadliest toll yet with 1,564 victims, Sir Patrick warned last night that the UK is in for a ‘pretty grim period’ as deaths will not fall for ‘some weeks’. 

But he also indicated that the case rate was more encouraging, with a run of four days of week-on-week falls.  

Lloyds bank, which owns Halifax and the Bank of Scotland stated that face coverings are essential but didn’t state whether they will be closing the accounts of those who refuse to wear masks

Sir Patrick said: ‘I think what we know now, which we didn’t know a few weeks ago, was would these sorts of restrictions be enough to bring this virus under control with the new variant? And the answer is yes, it looks like it is, and things are at least flattening off in some places, not everywhere.’

Professor Ferguson – whose modelling is reputed to have triggered the first lockdown in March – said this morning that the growth rate was slowing nationally, and in some NHS regions there were ‘signs of plateauing’.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘It looks like in London in particular and a couple of other regions in the South East and East of England, hospital admissions may even have plateaued, though it is hard to tell if they are coming down.

‘It has to be said this is not seen everywhere – both case numbers and hospital admissions are going up in many other areas, but overall at a national level we are seeing the rate of growth slow.’

The powerful Covid O Cabinet committee is due to meet today to consider the state of play, including signing off a travel ban from South America due to fears over an emerging super-strain in Brazil. However, it is not expected to ramp up the lockdown in England.

Priti Patel said this morning that the Government is not bringing in new social distancing restrictions ‘today or tomorrow’. 

In a series of appearances yesterday, Mr Johnson refused to rule out extra measures, but hailed ‘early’ signs that coronavirus is coming back under control.   

Source: Read Full Article