Bank of Scotland plc Credit Rating
Bank of Scotland plc holds a blended long-term credit rating of AA- — the "High Grade" band, which is investment grade. That figure combines the latest long-term issuer ratings from S&P, Moody's, Fitch onto a single comparable scale, and indicates a strong capacity to meet its financial commitments. Bank of Scotland plc is owned by Lloyds Banking Group (public). A credit rating measures an institution's ability to meet its financial obligations — it is an opinion, not a guarantee, and it is separate from deposit protection.
Brands that trade under this licence and share its rating and FSCS limit: Halifax
Bank of Scotland credit ratings by agency
| Agency | Long-term rating | Outlook | Last confirmed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fitch Ratings | AA | — | 10 Jul 2026 |
| Moody's | A1 | — | 10 Jul 2026 |
| S&P Global Ratings | A+ | — | 19 Jul 2026 |
Rating History Chart
Rating History
| Date | Rating | Agencies |
|---|---|---|
10 Jul 2026 |
S&P, Moody's, Fitch | |
27 Jan 2026 |
S&P |
Service record: complaints, incidents and customer survey
Complaints: in the FCA's 2025 H2 file (July 2025 to December 2025), Bank of Scotland received 67,071 banking and credit-card complaints, 1.91 per 1,000 accounts. The bank upheld 70% of those it closed and closed 57% within three days. The previous period was 1.83 per 1,000, so complaints rose. Compare all banks.
Outages and incidents: Bank of Scotland reported
7 major operational or security incidents to the FCA in the quarter to 30 June 2026 and 22 in the 12 months to 30 June 2026 (mobile app 11, online banking 9, telephone 5)
Customer survey (CMA / Ipsos, August 2026): share of Bank of Scotland's own customers who would recommend it.
| Measure | Market | Would recommend | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Branch services | Great Britain | 62% | 9= of 13 |
| Online and mobile banking | Great Britain | 72% | 9 of 17 |
| Overall service quality | Great Britain | 61% | 8= of 17 |
| Overdraft services | Great Britain | 64% | 9 of 16 |
| Branch and business centre services (business) | Great Britain | 50% | 9 of 12 |
| Online and mobile banking (business) | Great Britain | 67% | 11 of 17 |
| Overall service quality (business) | Great Britain | 53% | 16 of 17 |
| Relationship and account management (business) | Great Britain | 52% | 16 of 17 |
| SME overdraft and loan services (business) | Great Britain | 60% | 5= of 10 |
Market signals, ownership and group accounts
Short positions: no disclosed net short position in the listed group's shares on the FCA's list (checked 17 October 2026).
Only positions of 0.5% or more per holder are disclosed, so this is a floor. Above 2% to 3% is unusual for a UK bank; it is a view on the listed group's shares, not on deposit safety, which the FSCS covers regardless.| Fiscal year | Profit before tax | Net income | Total assets | Equity | Dividends paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | £6.7bn | £4.7bn | £944.1bn | £47.9bn | £2.0bn |
| Dec 2024 | £6.0bn | £4.4bn | £906.7bn | £45.9bn | £1.8bn |
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Frequently asked questions about Bank of Scotland plc
Is Bank of Scotland plc safe?
Bank of Scotland plc currently holds a blended long-term credit rating of AA-, which is investment grade and indicates a strong capacity to meet its financial commitments. A credit rating is an independent opinion on an institution's ability to meet its financial obligations; it is not a guarantee and can change. Separately, Eligible deposits with UK-authorised banks and building societies are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to £120,000 per eligible person, per banking licence (the limit rose from £85,000 on 1 December 2025). Where several brands share a single banking licence, that £120,000 limit is shared across those brands rather than applying to each one separately. This page is information about published credit ratings, not financial advice.
What is Bank of Scotland plc's credit rating?
Bank of Scotland plc has a blended long-term credit rating of AA-. This blends the most recent long-term issuer ratings from S&P, Moody's, Fitch, mapped onto a common scale so ratings expressed in different agencies' notation can be compared directly.
Is Bank of Scotland plc covered by the FSCS?
Eligible deposits with UK-authorised banks and building societies are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to £120,000 per eligible person, per banking licence (the limit rose from £85,000 on 1 December 2025). Where several brands share a single banking licence, that £120,000 limit is shared across those brands rather than applying to each one separately. Bank of Scotland plc is recorded with FCA reference 169628. Because protection follows the banking licence rather than the brand, check the current position and which brands share a licence on the FSCS website before relying on it.
Who owns Bank of Scotland plc?
Bank of Scotland plc is owned by Lloyds Banking Group (public). Ownership matters for credit ratings because agencies often factor in the likelihood of support from a parent group, and because brands under the same banking licence share a single FSCS limit.
What does a AA- credit rating mean?
AA- sits in the "High Grade" band, indicating a strong capacity to meet its financial commitments. Ratings of BBB- (or Baa3 on Moody's scale) and above are considered investment grade; anything below that is regarded as speculative, sometimes called "high yield". Ratings are reviewed periodically and can be upgraded or downgraded.
What is Bank of Scotland plc's Fitch rating?
Fitch rates Bank of Scotland plc AA (long-term), as read from the bank's own published disclosures and last confirmed on 10 July 2026. Together with the other agencies' ratings this gives the blended AA- shown on this page.
What is Bank of Scotland plc's Moody's rating?
Moody's rates Bank of Scotland plc A1 (long-term), as read from the bank's own published disclosures and last confirmed on 10 July 2026. Together with the other agencies' ratings this gives the blended AA- shown on this page.
What is Bank of Scotland plc's S&P rating?
S&P rates Bank of Scotland plc A+ (long-term), as read from the bank's own published disclosures and last confirmed on 19 July 2026. Together with the other agencies' ratings this gives the blended AA- shown on this page.
When did Bank of Scotland plc's credit rating last change?
Bank of Scotland plc's blended rating has stood at AA- since 10 July 2026, the most recent change in our records. Ratings are re-checked automatically and this page updates when an agency revises its assessment.