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United Kingdom: HBOS and RBS Emergency Liquidity Program, 2008

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Abstract

Two United Kingdom-based banks, Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) and Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS), faced substantial liquidity needs during fall of 2008. To provide funding until recapitalization, the Bank of England (BoE) extended ad hoc emergency liquidity facilities to HBOS on October 1 and to RBS on October 7, 2008, comprising US dollars (USD) and British pounds sterling (GBP). As collateral for the 2008 assistance, HBOS and RBS posted pools of loans that were ineligible for the BoE's market-wide operations. Aggregate usage of the two ad hoc facilities peaked at GBP 61.5 billion (USD 106.0 billion) on October 17. The banks also received support from broad-based liquidity facilities, government recapitalization, HM Treasury's Asset Protection Scheme, and HM Treasury's Credit Guarantee Scheme. RBS fully repaid its liquidity assistance on December 16, 2008; it also received GBP 45.5 billion in government capital. HBOS fully repaid its liquidity assistance on January 16, 2009, the date the bank was formally acquired by Lloyds TSB with the support of GBP 11.5 billion in government capital. The BoE's lending generated about GBP 175 million in profits for the government.

Suggested Citation

  • Decker, Bailey & French, Jack, 2025. "United Kingdom: HBOS and RBS Emergency Liquidity Program, 2008," Journal of Financial Crises, Yale Program on Financial Stability (YPFS), vol. 7(1), pages 464-494, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:ysm:ypfsfc:v:7:y:2025:i:1:p:464-494
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    File URL: https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1629&context=journal-of-financial-crises
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    capital injection; emergency liquidity; Halifax Bank of Scotland; Royal Bank of Scotland;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G01 - Financial Economics - - General - - - Financial Crises
    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation

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