Lloyds sees rise in complaints

Lloyds Banking Group, which is 43% owned by the taxpayer, has revealed a rise in customer complaints in the second half of 2010.

The banking giant, which runs the Halifax and Bank of Scotland, received 329,761 complaints in the six month period – a 14% rise compared with the same period a year earlier.

According to the bank, the rise in complaints was attributed to the sale of payment protection insurance policies – which the bank ceased selling in July 2010.

Commenting, Martin Dodd, the group’s director of customer services, said 40,000 branch and call-centre staff had been retrained to handle the complaints.

The bank also highlighted that progress has been made and the number of complaints about its banking services declined 12% to 154,555 in the six month period.

The announcement comes shortly before the bank reveals its 2010 profits.