Barclays said on 22 September that British people living abroad will no longer be able to hold a Barclays UK current or savings account, potentially impacting many expats around the world.
Its decision followed a review of its international offerings that began in 2021 when it decided to close accounts in certain jurisdictions.
Barclays is now sending out notifications to customers, providing them with a six-month warning before the closure of their accounts.
Barclays said the UK products were designed for customers within the UK: "We will no longer be offering personal current or savings accounts to retail customers with addresses registered with us outside of the United Kingdom, subject to limited exceptions. We are contacting impacted customers to give them advance notice of this decision and explain the next steps they need to take."
An FCA spokesman said: "Banks may set their own requirements on country of residence for account holders and must comply with local law and regulation when serving customers outside the UK. Whether or not banks decide to extend services to customers outside of the UK is a commercial decision for them, but we expect them to treat their customers fairly, comply with equalities legislation, and provide adequate notice to the customer if they decide to close their account.
"Customers who feel they have had their accounts closed unfairly have the right to complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service."
