CAF Bank's 14,000 UK charity customers remain locked out of their online banking accounts, a week after the service was suspended due to detected attempted fraud. The bank has not provided a timetable for restoring access, leaving many charities unable to make essential payments, including staff payroll and supplier invoices.
The disruption began when CAF Bank identified attempted fraudulent activity on some accounts. In response, the bank quickly suspended online services to prevent further compromise. An ongoing investigation has uncovered a previously unknown vulnerability in the connection between CAF Bank's internal systems and third-party software it utilizes.
CAF Bank has confirmed that its core banking systems are not affected by the issue. Technical teams are reportedly working continuously with suppliers and external experts to develop a secure resolution. However, as of Thursday, July 30, 2026, the bank stated it could not safely restore online services.
The prolonged outage has caused significant distress among the bank's charity clientele. Kevan Hodges, chief executive of the Down's syndrome charity 21 Together, expressed concerns about staff wages not being paid, describing the situation as "appalling." Bali Rodgers, chief executive of Safer Communities Alliance, noted a decline in trust among the grassroots organizations her alliance represents.
CAF Bank CEO Alison Taylor apologized for the disruption earlier in the week, emphasizing the bank's commitment to restoring access only when safety can be assured. The current incident follows a previous period of customer dissatisfaction last year, when the introduction of a new banking platform led to login and transaction issues for users.
At the close of its 2024/25 financial year, CAF Bank held approximately £1.45 billion in customer deposits. The bank has not disclosed the cost associated with the new banking platform introduced last year.
