Muslims to get more banking (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Muslims to get more banking

HIGH Street bank Lloyds TSB is to increase the number of branches that offer Islamic banking services to the UK's two million Muslims.

Shariah law forbids Muslims from paying or receiving interest, so the products have been designed with this in mind.

The current account does not pay interest on credit balances and does not offer an overdraft facility.

Gordon Rankin, of Lloyds TSB Islamic Financial Services, said: "This expansion of the pilot is yet another milestone on the road to making Islamic banking available to all Muslims in the UK.

"By the end of the year our customers will be able to access Islamic current accounts and home finance in many more branches across the country.

"The fact we're expanding the pilot is testament to the popularity of our Islamic financial services offering so far."