Lloyds Banking Group has pledged to offer support to 30,000 start-up businesses over the next three years.

The bank - of which taxpayers own 43% - said its plans would help ‘viable' businesses gain access to credit as the UK recovers from recession and give "clearer and fairer" prices under a small business charter.

Under the charter the bank said it would run a programme of 200 seminars to advise small firms, meet ‘reasonable' requests for finance and help viable businesses through temporary difficulties.

The bank has also promised small business borrowing will not be switched from base rate to LIBOR and the bank will not change the terms of overdrafts as long as firms keep within agreed limits.

"Anything that increases that transparency and understanding is welcome because small and medium-sized enterprises can then work more closely with banks to change or further enhance their business and address any concerns," said Russel Griggs, chairman of the CBI business group's small business council.