Losses reported at B&B

The lender made a £180.4 million profit in the same period last year and recently completed a £400 million rights issue to improve its balance sheet.

Credit impairment charges accounted for much of the loss, rising to £74.6 million for the six months, up from £5.3 million in the same period last year. This was the result of the number of mortgages in arrears for three months or more.