‘Funds in use’ provided by RBS’s Invoice Finance business rose by 16% in the year to end of April 2011.

An RBS spokesman told Recruiter: “We suspect that  like most, if not all sectors using IF, the recruitment sector will be up in double digit percentage growth.” Earlier this week Barclays, RBS, Lloyds, HSBC and Santander  banks were criticised  for failing to meet their target for lending to SMEs.