RBS axes 500 more jobs

RBS said the cuts will affect back office functions across the UK for its wealth management brands - Coutts, the Queen's private bank which has an office in Leeds, and Adam and Co.

The jobs will go over the next three years.

Today's news comes as part of a mammoth jobs cull at the part-nationalised group and follows less than a month after RBS announced 2,600 roles would go at its insurance and retail banking arms.

The latest blow to the bank's workforce follows moves by RBS to introduce a new technology system in its wealth management arm, which reduces the number of administration staff needed to service clients.

An RBS spokesman said the bank was doing all it could to "support our staff through this process and to keep compulsory redundancy to an absolute minimum".

But trade union Unite reacted with dismay at news of yet more job losses at RBS.

Unite national officer Rob MacGregor said: "Unite does not believe that the introduction of and investment in new technology should go hand in hand with the shedding of jobs.

"Instead RBS should focus on ensuring that their staff can continue to give customers the high levels of service they expect from the Queen's bank."

The wealth management division employs around 3,500 staff in the UK.