The Bank of England is considering relaxing ringfencing rules that require UK banks to separate retail operations from riskier activities, a move aimed at addressing pressure from bank executives to ease these regulations. Sam Woods, head of the Prudential Regulation Authority, has instructed staff to explore options for modifying the rules while maintaining protections for retail deposits, amidst concerns from smaller digital banks and calls from major bank leaders for the regime’s removal. The debate intensifies ahead of Finance Minister Rachel Reeves’ upcoming speech outlining a strategy for enhancing competitiveness in UK financial services.
