The table shows the main independent British banks, in order of market capitalisation. The list is quite short as British banking has been highly consolidated since the early 20th century. Unlike some other major economies, the UK does not have a major stratum of independent local banks. The list has shrunk further during 2008: Northern Rock was nationalised by the UK Government, followed by Bradford & Bingley; Alliance & Leicester has been acquired by Banco Santander, owners of Abbey National; Lloyds TSB plc announced, on 18 September 2008, a confirmed agreement to take over HBOS plc[1][2][3].
Note: Market values retrieved on 4 October 2008 from Times Online [4]. Assets listed as of 2 April 2008, apart from Co-operative Bank which are listed as of[update] 31 December 2004, and are listed in billions of pounds sterling and U.S. dollars.[5] Also note that market values have been highly volatile in 2008, due to the sub-prime mortgage crisis.
The other main class of consumer financial service organisation in the United Kingdom is the building society, but the building society sector is much smaller than it used to be as many major building societies demutualised in the 1980s and 1990s. Halifax (now part of HBOS) and Abbey National (now foreign owned) were the two largest building societies. The remaining building societies which demutualised have all subsequently been acquired, either through nationalisation or acquisition by other banks. See the building society article for a list of the largest remaining building societies. Only the Nationwide is large enough to appear in the table above if it were a bank.
Other British banking brands owned by British companies
National Savings and Investments (NS&I), originally founded in 1861, helps the UK Government gain additional finance, other than taxation, at lower rates than borrowing direct from the markets.
On 29 September 2008, the Treasury announced that Bradford & Bingley was to be partially nationalised and partially sold to Banco Santander, following talks on the day before. The process is ongoing. [6]
HBOS and RBS have a substantial number of preference shares in UK Government hands, that will eventually reach approximately 40% and 60% of the total share issue of the respective banks (although the banks themselves remain in the private sector).
UK banking brands owned by foreign banks
Abbey and its online subsidiary Cahoot: owned by Banco Santander of Spain. It was Britain's sixth largest bank by assets when it was taken over in 2004.
Overseas consumer banking brands which are available in the UK. Virtually all of the world's leading banks have investment and commercial banking offices in the City of London.
Banks incorporated outside the EEA authorised to accept deposits through a branch in the United Kingdom