British banking preferences revealed: digital vs in-person

Key findings

• 73% of British adults have used a bank’s mobile app in the past year, the most common method for managing bank accounts.
• Digital self-service is the strong preference for everyday tasks, such as checking balances (84%) or paying bills (83%).
• Britons prefer live agents for complaints, support, and complex decisions.
• 42% of Baby Boomers visited a branch last year, compared to just 21% of Gen Z.

Digital is the default—but human support still plays a role

Mobile apps, online portals, and automated support all make it easier for consumers to handle banking on their own. Yet data from YouGov Profiles shows there’s still a strong demand for human interaction when it comes to more complex or sensitive matters.

British consumers use different banking channels, and their preferences shift depending on the task, from simple money transfers to opening new accounts or resolving issues.

How UK Adults Bank: Mobile Apps, Online, and In-Person

Digital channels are the most widely used for banking in Britain. In the past 12 months, 73% of adults have used a bank’s mobile app, and 61% have used internet banking. ATMs remain common (47%), while 31% have visited a bank branch in person.

Although live chat and third-party apps remain niche, traditional phone support still sees use with 13% of Britons saying they’ve completed a banking task over the phone in the past year

Generational Divide: How Age Impacts Banking Choices

There are significant generational differences in banking. Younger Britons are firmly mobile-first: 79% of Gen Z and 85% of millennials have used a bank’s mobile app in the past year, compared to just 55% of baby boomers.

In contrast, older adults are more likely to visit a branch: 42% of baby boomers have done so, nearly double the rate of gen Z (21%). Internet banking is more evenly used across age groups, but peaks among gen X and boomers.

Self-serve vs in-person: banking preferences by task

While generation matters, online/in-person preferences depend even more on task. For routine activities, like checking balances, paying bills, or transferring funds, people overwhelmingly prefer to use digital self-serve options. For example, 84% prefer to check their balance digitally, while only 8% say they prefer to do so in person.

But preferences flip for more complex interactions. When reaching out to customer support, 64% say they prefer in-person help, with just 32% opting for self-serve. A similar pattern appears for resolving complaints.

Even for services like applying for loans or opening accounts, more than a quarter of Britons still prefer in-person support.

For most Britons, self-service tools are now the default for simple, everyday banking. But for bigger decisions, personal interactions still matter. The winning approach? Give people the tools to manage things quickly online and let them talk to someone when it really counts.

Methodology

YouGov Profiles is based on continuously collected data through rolling surveys, rather than a single limited questionnaire. Figures are drawn from responses collected between December 2024 and December 2025, using a 52-week dataset updated weekly. Data is nationally representative of adults (18+) in Great Britain and weighted by age, gender, region, education, and social grade.