Abbey is thriving with a leap of 30%

The get came as Abbey, which took no currency from either the UK or Spanish governments during the banking bailouts, continued to grow mortgage and little accountability lending at the of most of its rivals.

“We carry on to back up the UK economy with increased lending to homeowners and businesses, demonstrating our forward movement in enhancing a full-service bank,” said chief chairman of the board Antonio Horta-Osorio.

“The first half of 2009 has been a extremely agreeable single representing the bank. We be obsessed delivered an wonderful grow in gross income and profit in spitefulness of hard market-place conditions, underpinned close by market-place portion gains and development across all divisions.”

He said the bank, which desire be fully rebranded beneath the Santander designation close by the end of 2010, was on goal to draw single million new contemporary accounts this year.

This accountability was not fair being won from competitors but also reflects the actuality that more and more customers desire to keep possession of their savings roost eggs in more than single basket after the descend down of some UK banks or bank subsidiaries hindmost year.

Savings and accountability deposits rose close by 15% to £4.7 billion.

Abbey has also captivated a much larger portion of the mortgage market-place in the first half as competitor banks and edifice societies carry on to decline to lend.

It lent an additional £2 billion in mortgages. Bad accountability provisions are up on hindmost year but its willingness to aid exterior over-borrowed homeowners when they descend into mortgage difficulties is shown in the six-month decline in the numeral of houses it holds after repossession, which cut from 1048 in December to 942 at the end of June.

Lending to little and medium-sized businesses rose 13% on a year earlier as more companies look for to be obsessed a relationship with more than fair single bank in the contemporary climate.

Abbey said it is approximately halfway because of its planned 1900 labour cuts this year which desire grip its pierce numbers down to circular 22,000. Almost all the cuts are coming in the skull business and managing areas following the takeovers of A&L and B&B.

Parent Santander, the largest bank in the eurozone, proverb its profits globule close by 4.5% to €4.52 billion (£3.9 billion) as needy accountability provisions jumped.