The city’s strength in financial services is reflected in the size and number of companies and the depth and quality of provision. The city is the biggest legal centre outside of London and a major centre for building society and corporate finance, accountancy, banking, insurance, stock broking and retail financial services.

In the last ten years the financial and business services sector has experienced employment growth of 39% and is expected to grow by a further 14% over the next decade.

Business
There are over 30 national and international banks based in Leeds, including the headquarters for First Direct and Yorkshire Bank, Halifax Direct and Halifax Insurance. It is the UK operations centre for GE Consumer Finance and a major operations centre for Direct Line Group.

The Bank of England has a major presence in the city through the Leeds Cash Centre, which is responsible for bulk note handling for the whole of the North of England. The Bank’s Agency for Yorkshire & The Humber, which reports to the Monetary Policy Committee on economic conditions in the region, is also based in Leeds.

Around 150 leading law firms and over 200 accountancy firms operate in Leeds. Several of them now rank among the top ten firms in the UK, having expanded nationally and internationally, with offices in Europe and Asia.

Services
A full range of corporate and personal financial services are available in Leeds. The professional services sector is also highly developed, providing top end corporate and business services to regional, national and international clients.

Stock broking, venture capital fund management, pension and independent financial advisers, and actuaries can all be found in the city, together with specialists in treasury management, trademarks and patents, wealth management, investor and financial public relations.

Leeds Financial Services is a partnership between private and public sector organisations based in the city, set up to promote the interests and continued growth of the city as a major centre for financial and business services.