Sunita Somvanshi
HSBC UK customers couldn’t access their accounts on August 27, 2025, after a service outage hit digital banking channels. The disruption began around 11:00 BST, affecting the mobile app, online banking, and First Direct platforms.
Users encountered “err03” error codes or messages stating their information wasn’t available. According to outage tracker Downdetector, over 4,000 reports were logged within an hour of the disruption beginning.
The timing created complications for customers with midweek payments scheduled. HSBC serves over 14.5 million active UK customers and 600,000 business customers, many of whom rely on digital access following the closure of 114 UK branches in 2023.
HSBC posted their first acknowledgment at 11:45 BST on their official channels: “We understand some customers are having issues accessing banking services right now. We’re really sorry and are investigating as a matter of urgency.”
For urgent banking needs, HSBC directed customers to their helpline (03457 404404).
Services began returning to normal by mid-afternoon, with the issues resolved approximately five hours after they began. HSBC confirmed by late afternoon that its app and online banking systems were functioning again.
Unlike telecoms providers, banks don’t provide automatic compensation for service interruptions. However, customers who experienced direct financial losses due to the outage can request reimbursement by contacting HSBC directly.
If these requests remain unresolved, customers have the option to escalate their complaints to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Today’s HSBC outage follows concerning reliability data from UK lawmakers. A parliamentary report from March 2025 revealed that nine major UK banks experienced a combined 803 hours of unplanned outages over the previous two years.
Some customers also reported that Chase UK experienced service issues on the same day, though these appeared more limited in scale than the HSBC disruption, with Chase UK’s status page showing scheduled maintenance for Nutmeg services that morning.
The outage began late morning, affected HSBC and First Direct customers nationwide, and was resolved by mid-afternoon. HSBC apologized and advised customers on urgent access options. Customers experiencing financial loss can contact the bank or escalate to the Financial Ombudsman.
