Demonstrators protesting about non-payment of tax by large corporations shut several branches of HSBC across the country on Saturday.

UK Uncut targeted 13 locations and succeeded in shutting branches in Glasgow, Sheffield, Brixton and Regent Street in London – branches which HSBC initially said would be "open as usual".

The group arrived at the Regent Street branch at about noon, 30 minutes after it had been shut "temporarily", to protest against the government's welfare cuts by "transforming" it into a food bank.

The campaigners highlighted research showing that 500,000 people regularly rely on food banks, with almost half saying it was because of cuts or delays in benefits payments.

The group of between 50 and 100 protesters at the central London branch accused HSBC of making matters worse by "dodging tax".

The protesters set up a food bank on the street in front of the branch and put tape across the front door which had the message "Closed by UK Uncut" written across it.

A HSBC spokesman said the branch "shut temporarily at 11.30am as a precaution", adding: "It may open later."

Earlier, the spokesman said: "Our branches will be open as usual this Saturday; however our clear priority is the safety of our customers and staff. We are aware that our branches are a focus of UK Uncut for the day and we will take any precautions necessary."

On the HSBC website, the Saturday opening hours for the Regent Street branch are listed as 10am until 3pm.

Murray Worthy, a spokesman for UK Uncut taking part in the protest on Regent Street, said: "We came here to shut it down and it's shut down. We can't go on with business as usual with the big banks dodging tax, while hundreds of thousands of people go hungry. That's what we came here to do and that's what we've done."

He added: "We're here today because we think it's an outrage that half a million people now rely on food banks in the UK."

Worthy accused HSBC of using tax havens more than any other bank.

The HSBC spokesman added: "HSBC takes tax transparency very seriously. Globally, HSBC paid $9.3bn [£6.1 billion] in tax last year, up from $8bn in 2011, and just in the UK the bank paid a total of $1.6bn dollars in taxes."