Halifax Bank

A British commercial bank, Halifax plc is an affiliate of HBOS Group. Its head office is situated in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. The bank is a public company with stocks traded in London Stock Exchange.

Halifax Bank is in the industry of finance and insurance. Its products contain financial services that have been diversified to include residential mortgages, bank accounts, credit cards, savings and investment.

Halifax Bank plc caters to retail banking. Branches of Halifax Bank can be found in UK and Ireland. These branches can provide the personal banking services to its markets.

Aside from branch banking, Halifax Bank also provides personal banking features and services by using Halifax Bank internet banking system. The online system can enable customers to manage their accounts with the bank. It can also give them the advantage to view mortgage balances and account statements, apply for a credit card, and check for savings and investments on the internet. It may also be possible for Halifax customers and online account holders to engage in shares trading online.

Moreover, Halifax Bank online system can be the more convenient way to apply for another account. Customers may also have the privilege to transfer funds from one account to other accounts with Halifax. It may also enable customers to transact in the payment of bills online.

Halifax Bank is among the largest financial companies in the United Kingdom today. The bank dates its history from the Industrial Revolution which was initiated by the British. The place Halifax was a boom town attributed by the development and growth of the textile industry.

Halifax Bank has its origin from Halifax Permanent Benefit Building Society which was established in 1852. The organization grew organically until 1928 when it amalgamated with Halifax Equitable Building Society. The then Halifax Building Society advanced its business size in the 20th century in which it had become the largest building society in UK.

The Halifax began to diversify its financial services in the 1980’s after the legislation ad been passed permitting building society to enhance its financial service offerings. It then included personal banking, insurance, estate agency and stock broking in its businesses.

In the 1990’s, Halifax went through acquisitions and mergers with some UK companies. It acquired Clerical Medical in 1996. The firm combined with Leeds Permanent Building Society the preceding year while the acquisition of Birmingham Midshires was made in 1999.

From a mutual financial company, Halifax transformed into a banking institution. This move has been impelled when a resolution has been made into effect allowing the demutualization of building societies in 1986. Halifax and its members elected itself to become a plc or public limited companies in February 1997.

Subsequently, Halifax decided to make the company into a public one. The flotation of stocks in London Stock Exchange in June has created over seven million shareholders.

The merger of Halifax Bank plc and Bank of Scotland has resulted to the creation of Halifax bank of Scotland or simply known as HBOS. HBOS has then become the holding company of the two banks which have retained their brand names. Bank of Scotland is business banking division of HBOS.

Halifax has also established businesses. One of these is the Intelligent Finance which is the internet and telephone banking division of Halifax.

Aside from Intelligent Finance, Halifax has also integrated the following in its corporate structure: Banco Halifax Hispania; Birmingham Midshires; Halifax Financial Services, Ltd.; Halifax Investment Fund Managers, Ltd.; Halifax Estate Agents; St. James Place Bank; St. James Place Capital plc; Halifax Unit Trust Management Ltd; and Halifax Share Dealing Limited.

“Always giving you extra” is Halifax slogan. The firm also heralds in the innovative perspective about bank in UK through TV advertising.