One in four Brits cling to bank branches as closures soar May 20, 2025 Brits remain keen for in-person banking even as high-street sites shutter, a fresh report from the Financial Conduct Authority has revealed. One in four current account users still opted to use branch services in the year to May 2024 despite their waning availability. The figure marks a steep drop from 63 per cent in 2017, [...]
Natwest and Lloyds to cash in as Reeves hints at ring-fencing reform May 19, 2025 Rachel Reeves has told top bank bosses she is “open-minded” to ditch the ring-fencing regime imposed on major banks. The Chancellor was lobbied by the chiefs of HSBC, Lloyds, Natwest and Santander to scrap the 15-year-old legislation last month. Lenders slammed the system – which requires firms to keep their retail bank operations separate from [...]
Government to clamp down on ‘buy now pay later’ services such as Klarna and Clearpay May 19, 2025 Fintechs including Klarna and Clearpay providing ‘buy now pay later’ services will face fresh regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) after years of wrangling and delays. New rules will require financial services providers to conduct affordability checks as part of efforts to make banking standards more consistent. Borrowers will also be able to make [...]
Natwest and Lloyds to rake in millions from a ring-fencing shakeup May 16, 2025 Natwest and Lloyds are set for a major cash bump if Chancellor Rachel Reeves rips up the ring-fencing regime imposed on lenders, fresh data shows. FTSE 100 banking giants have lobbied the Chancellor to axe the system, which they described as a “drag on banks”. The bosses of HSBC, Lloyds, Natwest and Santander slammed the [...]
Natwest: Government set to sell stake in FTSE 100 giant by June May 16, 2025 The UK government is on track to sell its remaining stake in FTSE 100 lender Natwest as soon as next month after it accelerated the sell-down of its holdings. The Treasury’s share of the FTSE 100 lender is one of British banking’s longest-running sagas, dating back to the 2008 financial crisis. Natwest, then under the [...]
One in ten Brits have no cash savings, City regulator says May 16, 2025 One in ten Brits do not have any cash savings, the City regulator has warned, concerning signs that hundreds of thousands of people could be unable to cover emergency bills. New research by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has also suggested that a fifth of people have less than £1,000 available to draw on The [...]
Sofas and season tickets: Inside the world of retail finance May 16, 2025 Retailing financing is on the up and as big banks steer away from the market, specialist lenders are cashing in. Fresh research from the finance and leasing association (FLA) showed consumer finance grew by 13 per cent in March 2025, compared to the year prior. The first quarter of 2025 saw a six per cent [...]
Analysts say ‘Buy’ Vanquis shares after payday loan turnaround May 15, 2025 Vanquis shares could finally be about to turn a corner, according to one group of City analysts. The shares peaked at more than 2,600p in 2015, and have since fallen by more than 96 per cent as Vanquis has endured soaring complaints and regulatory backlash thanks to its sub-prime lending and payday loan market exposure. [...]
Natwest: Shares in FTSE 100 giant smash decade high May 15, 2025 Shares in banking giant Natwest notched a ten-year high on Thursday as the government continued to whittle down its stake in the lender. The FTSE 100 giant’s stock was up nearly one per cent during mid-day trading and touched highs of 498.8p. Natwest shares are up nearly 24 per cent since the beginning of 2025 [...]
Shawbrook Bank’s loan and deposit book boosted by retail demand May 15, 2025 Shawbrook Bank received a boost to its loan book in the first-quarter driven by strong demand in commercial and retail markets. Lending increased to £15.8bn, from £15.2bn at the end of 2024. This marked a 15 per cent annual jump. The growth came as the group’s structured lending pipeline reached a new high, as it [...]