http://www.apacs.org.uk/media_centre/press/Salarypaymentproblems.html and http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6506439.stm

We are aware of a problem with the processing of a number of salary payments.  This will unfortunately mean that up to 400,000 customers will not receive their monthly salary as expected, tomorrow, 30 March 2007.  This represents about 1.6% of the total payments which will be processed through BACS for tomorrow.

The entire banking and payments industry is extremely sorry that this has happened and we are working to resolve the issue and limit the impact on individual customers.

The banks have to earn money, that’s fine, they charge me interest on my credit cards, the mortgage and my overdraft, I’ve got nothing against this but this news coupled with the ‘over charging’ accusations is not earning the banks any bonus points in customer satisfaction, trust or loyalty.

Yes technical issues will happen, 1.6% on the grand scale of things isn’t that bad, but many of us have been in the position where you can’t take money out and it’s not pleasant. It’s little comfort to those affected to say any charges will be refunded and if you need money take it out at a branch.

Apologies, will at this point state:

• Is this at the same branches that close at the weekend?
• Yes they might be open Saturday morning, but they’re closed Sunday right?
• The money wont be in the account until Monday right? 
• That’s because its in the big money transferring system:

• The one that’s turned off on weekends?
• The one where it takes three to five days to transfer money?