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Abbey accounts affected by error Customers suffer from Abbey error
(about 2 hours later)
Hundreds of thousands of Abbey customers have failed to have money transferred into their accounts owing to a technical error. Hundreds of thousands of Abbey customers failed to have money transferred into their accounts owing to a technical error.
The problem, which occurred overnight on Tuesday/Wednesday, means many are facing delays in receiving their salaries and benefits. The problem, which occurred overnight on Tuesday/Wednesday, meant many faced delays in receiving their salaries and benefits.
Abbey, which is owned by Spanish group Santander, has apologised. Abbey, which is owned by Spanish group Santander, apologised.
It said direct debits and standing orders would still leave customers' accounts with no charges levied. It said direct debits and standing orders still left customers' accounts with no charges levied.
"We are urgently processing these payments and some payments have already credited to accounts this morning. The remainder are being processed now," an Abbey spokesman said. The payments were all processed by 1400GMT, the bank said.
"We apologise to any customers who were expecting a credit." "We apologise to customers for any inconvenience the delay may have caused them. No customers will incur any charges as a result of this problem," an Abbey spokeswoman said.
Technical faultTechnical fault
The bank has not expanded on what caused the problem, but said that a technical fault had been fixed. The bank has not expanded on what caused the problem, but said that it was a technical fault.
Of all the days this could happen, it would be now Account holder Richard ShortOf all the days this could happen, it would be now Account holder Richard Short
The money should be in people's accounts by early afternoon or by the end of the day at the latest.
Abbey has six million current account customers, but only those expecting to have their accounts credited on Wednesday were affected.Abbey has six million current account customers, but only those expecting to have their accounts credited on Wednesday were affected.
One of those customers was Richard Short, a 40-year-old business development manager, who was expecting his wages to appear in his account. He is usually paid at the end of the month but this was brought forward as a gesture from his employer to help staff get through Christmas. One of those customers was business development manager Richard Short, 40, who was expecting his wages to appear in his account.
"My girlfriend is in Tesco doing the Christmas shop and I realised there was no money in the account," Mr Short, who has a four-year-old daughter, told the BBC News website. He is usually paid at the end of the month, but this was brought forward as a gesture from his employer to help staff get through Christmas.
"My girlfriend is in Tesco doing the Christmas shop and I realised there was no money in the account," Mr Short, who has a four-year-old daughter, told the BBC News website on Wednesday morning.
"Of all the days this could happen, it would be now. You would hope that a little bit of common sense could prevail and Abbey would credit my account."Of all the days this could happen, it would be now. You would hope that a little bit of common sense could prevail and Abbey would credit my account.
"I am going on the bank website every five minutes to see whether the money has been put in. The bank said it would happen some time between now and 5pm." "I have been on the bank website every five minutes to see whether the money has been put in."
Abbey is not the first bank to suffer from a technical glitch this year.Abbey is not the first bank to suffer from a technical glitch this year.
In one day in July, Barclays' online banking services were unavailable - a month after a technical fault left some of the bank's 15 million UK customers unable to withdraw cash from ATMs, or access online or telephone banking.In one day in July, Barclays' online banking services were unavailable - a month after a technical fault left some of the bank's 15 million UK customers unable to withdraw cash from ATMs, or access online or telephone banking.