Four banking groups hold most of Britain's current accounts
The Big Four is the usual name for the four banking groups that the Competition and Markets Authority found to be the largest in Great Britain, in its 2016 report on retail banking. In 2015 they held just over 70% of the main personal current accounts in Great Britain and just over 80% of active business current accounts. Together with one smaller bank, they descend from the old clearing banks, which settled cheques between themselves. The 2008 financial crisis split them in two: the Treasury recapitalised two of them, and the other two found capital without the state. The government sold its last shares in the rescued pair in 2017 and 2025. Building societies and other banks sit outside the label.
Name them all first. Then try the harder part: the two that stayed out of state hands in 2008, then the two the Treasury rescued.