Barclays ATMs giving out ‘FREE CASH’ due to ‘glitch’ with dozens of customers queuing at machines as IT chaos drags on
SCORES of people queued up at ATMs across the UK in their pyjamas to withdraw "free" cash thanks to a Barclays bank glitch.
The tech issue also saw customers unable to access their accounts for over 24 hours, leaving many stranded and without funds for their daily lives.
As a result, crowds of angry people were seen lining up outside Barclays branches on Saturday afternoon.
The problem began on Friday, which was pay day for many Brits.
Those who needed to pay their bills or check if their salary has been paid into their account were unable to do so.
It was also the deadline to file an online self-assessment tax return and pay the tax you owe.
'FREE' £250 CASH
However, it appeared the tables quickly turned, with account holders reportedly able to get a "free" £250 through cash withdrawals and online purchases.
Many took to TikTok to spread the word to other customers, with one user detailing an in depth explainer about how Barclays customers could utilise this glitch.
"I’m actually howling at how many people are in their pyjamas at the cash machine because of this Barclays thing," said one TikToker in Liverpool.
"The whole of the UK is taking out money, people queuing up for money, free money," said another user as the #barclaysglitch tag gained traction across the social media platform.
Another user warned that the cash isn't actually free, adding: "ENJOY PAYING IT BACK."
Police were preventing people in north London from withdrawing cash, informing the public it is not actually "free cash".
Barclays said on Saturday: "We're extremely sorry for the ongoing technical issues that are impacting our customers' accounts and are working hard to fix the issue.
"Some may continue to see an outdated balance, and payments made or received may not show. Customers should not try to make the payment again.
"Customers can use their cards and withdraw cash, use our app and online banking, and as soon as these remaining issues are resolved, we'll let our customers know.
"We will ensure that no impacted customer is left out of pocket.
"We are keeping our call centres open for longer this weekend and we will be proactively contacting customers who may be vulnerable."
HMRC said it was "working closely" with Barclays to minimise any impact on those submitting their self-assessments and that HMRC services are "working as normal".
Any issues related to the Barclays outage will not result in late HMRC payment penalties as these do not apply until March 1, a spokesperson added.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
The Sun has contacted the bank for further comment.
Have you been affected by this issue? Email ryan.merrifield@thesun.co.uk
How can I check if my bank is down?
THERE are a few different ways to find out if your bank is experiencing an outage.
Senior consumer reporter Olivia Marshall explains how you can check.
If you're trying to send money to someone, or you just want to check if you have enough cash for a coffee, finding your online banking is down can be a real pain.
Most banks have a dedicated news page on their website to show service problems, including internet banking, mobile apps, ATMs, debit cards and credit cards.
You can also check on any future work they have planned and what it might mean for you.
Plus, you can check websites such as Down Detector, which will tell you whether other people are experiencing problems with a particular company online.