Labour wants FSCS deposit guarantee to apply to brand
Share
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme’s £85,000 payout limit should apply to each company within the groups which own them, according to Shadow Treasury financial secretary Chris Leslie.
Currently the way the protection applies depends on the way a bank is licenced. With some affiliated banks, like Halifax and Bank of Scotland which are both owned by Lloyds Banking Group, the limit is divided between the companies. With others, like Royal Bank of Scotland and NatWest, the limit applies to each company separately.
Speaking to Money Marketing, Leslie says this should be simplified so consumers more easily understand what protection they are entitled to.
He says: “The FSCS’s limit should be applied to brands rather than the wider group. There are commercial benefits to marketing brand by brand and if you are branding in a certain way people will expect the guarantee to follow the brand.”
Discussions in Europe which will decide the future structure of protection for depositors under the FSCS are currently on hold. Negotiations between the European parliament, the European Commission and the European Council over the Deposit Guarantee Scheme Directive have stalled because the positions of the parliament and the council are too far apart.
No date has been set for the official negotiations between the three bodies or between officials to try and find a way forward.
If you enjoyed this article, sign up here to receive daily email updates from Money Marketing and Follow @_moneymarketing
Readers' comments (3)
Norm d'Plume | 19 Jan 2012 12:47 pm
This is the first bit of sense I've seen from Labour since the election - and I think they are correct in this view.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 19 Jan 2012 1:55 pm
Amazing isnt it the party that allowed the fiasco to occur on their watch now want greater protection for the public - where will the money come from?
Also how many men in the street actually have this level of saving to be concerned about the limits being extended to each brand?
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Evan Owen | 19 Jan 2012 2:23 pm
It was the Labour party that set it all up, why has it taken them so long to come up with what is stating the obvious?
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment