Cost-to-income ratio of the largest banks in the UK 2024

Among the five largest banks in the United Kingdom (UK), HSBC Holdings had the lowest cost-to-income ratio (CIR) in 2024, at 20.2 percent. It was followed by NatWest and Standard Chartered, both with CIRs between 50 and 60 percent. The CIR is a key financial metric used to assess a bank’s profitability, as it compares operating costs to income. A lower CIR indicates higher profitability and operational efficiency, while a higher ratio suggests that a bank's operating expenses are too high relative to its income.