THE Halifax is set to disappear as a brand after 173 years as it changes to Lloyds with financial experts saying it “feels like a quiet theft of childhood”.
It will be evolving to become part of Lloyds’ branding in 2027, it has been announced today.
Lloyds Banking Group has owned The Halifax, which was founded in West Yorkshire in 1853, since 2009.
Jas Singh, Lloyds Banking Group’s chief executive of consumer relationships, said: “As Halifax changes to Lloyds, our Halifax customers will keep everything they know and love today – the same fantastic app design, the same friendly faces in our branches – even the same sort code and account number.
“But as Lloyds customers, they’ll get the best innovation and experiences we offer.”
Financial experts denounced the loss of the brand after so long.
Brand loyalty in financial services is earned over decades
Nouran Moustafa, Practice Principal & IFA at Roxton Wealth, said Lloyds needs to be careful not to lose loyal Halifax customers.
She added: “The Halifax is not just a logo. For generations it has been one of the few financial brands people genuinely associate with getting a first home, saving carefully and speaking to someone without feeling judged. That is hard to replace with a corporate tidy-up.
“From a broker perspective, the concern is not the name on the portal. It is whether the rebrand changes the culture: the criteria, service, underwriting appetite and familiarity that made The Halifax a go-to lender for so many real-life cases. Lloyds may see one brand as simpler. Customers and brokers may see the loss of a name that felt more human and more rooted in home ownership.
“Brand loyalty in financial services is earned over decades and can be destroyed in a strategy meeting. If nothing operational changes, it may be a smooth transition. But The Halifax’s value was never just its products. It was the trust people attached to the name. That is not something you can simply transfer onto a new sign.”
Darryl Dhoffer, Founder at The Mortgage Geezer, explained just why he loved The Halifax.
He added: “Oh, the sudden sting of corporate rebranding. Hearing that The Halifax name is fading into Lloyds feels like a quiet theft of childhood. Step back into the early 80s. Saturday mornings meant a trip to town, clutching that iconic, bright plastic money box.
“It wasn’t just a piggy bank; it was a mini architectural marvel, that yellow-roofed Halifax Club House, or better yet, the grinning face of Alicat. Feeding coins into that plastic slot felt like real adulting. Then came the ultimate badge of financial maturity, the Xtra Club bank book wallet.
“Sliding that crisp, plastic passbook into its protective sleeve made you feel like a high-roller before you even knew what inflation was. Watching the cashier physically stamp your deposit book felt like a WWE takedown. Lloyds might bring efficiency, but it can’t replace the bright, bold comfort of a Halifax childhood. RIP, Alicat. You made saving cool.”
There’s genuine nostalgia in seeing Halifax go
Richard Davidson, Mortgage Advisor at onlinemortgageadvisor.co.uk, said it has been on the high street for nearly two centuries.
He added: “There’s genuine nostalgia in seeing The Halifax go. It’s been on the high street for 173 years and it’s a name almost every first-time buyer I sit down with already knows and trusts, so folding it into Lloyds really does feel like the end of an era.
“For borrowers though, what matters isn’t the name above the door, it’s the appetite to lend behind it. The Halifax has long been one of the most first-time-buyer-friendly lenders on my panel, and as long as that generous approach to affordability carries over into Lloyds Intermediaries in 2027, my clients won’t notice much beyond a new logo.”
Thomas Boughton, Founder at Artillium Real Estate Finance, said the change could be positive.
He added: “This news will come as little surprise to most brokers, with these changes having been in the works for some time. I believe this is a very welcome development. Enhanced procuration fees for more complex cases better reflect the work involved, while dedicated 24-hour underwriting support should help speed up case progression and deliver mortgage offers more quickly.
“Perhaps the most significant change is the long-awaited opening of the Lloyds brand to the intermediary market. For too long, brokers have been unable to access Lloyds products directly. This move gives existing Lloyds customers the opportunity to work with an experienced, independent broker who can provide unbiased advice on the most suitable refinancing options across the market, rather than being limited to a single lender’s proposition.
“Ultimately, increased broker access and improved support should lead to better outcomes for clients. It is great to see LBG emphasise their commitment to intermediaries.”
Hearing that The Halifax name is fading into Lloyds feels like a quiet theft of childhood
Steven Greenall, Mortgage and Protection Advisor at Protect & Lend, said the rebrand is needed.
He added: “Too many brands under the same group end up confusing clients and cause unnecessary duplication of overheads and processes.”
