Barclays customers are grappling with a third day of operational issues, impacting their ability to conduct financial transactions. The outage, affecting both mobile and online banking, began on Friday, when many people were making essential payments. Despite the widespread nature of the disruption, Barclays has not disclosed the underlying cause or the scale of the impacts.

The glitch has exacerbated inconvenience for customers and businesses alike, particularly since Friday marked payday for many individuals and the deadline for self-assessment tax returns. Reports indicate that nearly 5,000 issues were reported on Saturday, more than double the number from the previous day. On Saturday afternoon, Barclays issued a statement warning of ongoing issues with its app and online banking, advising customers of potential discrepancies in their balances and payment statuses.

Friday’s payday coincided with the critical self-assessment tax return deadline, causing significant stress for many Barclays customers. Individuals were unable to make timely payments to HMRC, complicating their tax obligations. HMRC has acknowledged and is cooperating with Barclays to ensure minimal disruption.

Barclays apologised for the inconvenience and has offered support to impacted customers, assuring them that no one would be left out of pocket. The bank’s statement on X, Twitter, advised those having difficulty accessing funds to seek support from friends, family, or food banks. Specifically, they referred users to the Trussell Trust, which operates food banks nationwide.

The impact of the outage is evident in the stories of individuals like Emily from Exeter, who faced severe hardship due to the disruption. Unable to access her bank account, Emily was left stranded on a friend’s sofa with her two children and two cats after her scheduled move. “I’m effectively homeless with my two children and two cats,” she stated, expressing her frustration and regret over losing her recently acquired home.

Emily’s case highlights the human cost of technological failures within major financial institutions, resonating with other affected customers who are struggling with similar issues.

Faced with mounting pressure, Barclays issued a public statement on Saturday, expressing regret for the ongoing issues and commits to resolving them promptly. “While some customers may continue to see outdated balances, and payments made or received may not reflect accurately, our team is working tirelessly to fix the problem,” a spokesperson said.

The bank also assured customers that using cards for cash withdrawal, and continuing to access their app and online banking, remains possible. Barclays has extended the hours of its call centres to accommodate affected customers and is proactively reaching out to vulnerable individuals.

Yet, despite these efforts, the root cause of the outage remains unclear, leaving doubts about the long-term stability of Barclays’ systems.