By Myra Butterworth, Personal Finance Correspondent Published: 7:00AM BST 28 Apr 2010  State-owned banks top list of worst customer service Photo: GETTY IMAGES  The four banks offering the worst service included Lloyds TSB, Halifax and Bank of Scotland - all part of Lloyds Banking Group which received £20 billion in support from the Government following the financial meltdown during the credit crisis.  The group, which is 41 per cent owned by the taxpayer, announced yesterday that it had returned to profit.  Britain’s largest retail bank said it made money in the first three months of the year and expects to deliver a profit for the whole of 2010 as losses on bad debts continue to fall.  The other bank named in the list compiled by consumer group Which? was Northern Rock which is wholly owned by the Government.  It comes as the Financial Services Authority announced it is taking action against banks for their “unacceptable standards” in dealing with customers complaints. It refused to name and shame any of the banks, saying it is investigating further two companies which could face being fined.  The list revealed Bank of Scotland to be the worst performer with a satisfaction rating of 41 per cent, while First Direct was the best for the third year running, obtaining a score of 91 per cent. The average score was 61 per cent.  Peter Vicary-Smith, chief executive of Which? said: “Once again, the big banks are failing to treat their customers as well as the small lenders and building societies, despite all of the public funding they have received.”
High street banks bailed out by the taxpayer are among the worst for customer    service, according to a study.