Lloyds Banking Group has said it expects the UK to dip into a mild recession this year, as it braces for a fall in house prices and as mortgage lending continues to recover following September’s mini-budget.
It said it was focused on supporting its customers who will be “struggling to make ends meet” – as it increased its bonus pot for bankers to £446 million last year, the highest amount dished out since 2018.
The forecast comes after an economic survey showed a surprise return to growth by businesses this month, raising the likelihood of another Bank of England interest rate hike in March.