Investment complaints at Barclays Bank jump 77% in 2011

Complaints about investments made to Barclays rose 77% over 2011.

Although the number of client gripes against the bank dropped significantly between 2010 and 2011, new figures have shone a light on the large 12-month jump.

During the first half of 2010 Barclays opened 2,016 complaints. The figure rose slightly over 2010's second half and climbed to 2,051, before jumping markedly in the first six months of last year. 

Numbers issued by the bank show Barclays opened 3,910 complaints over 2011's first half, but dropped to 3,284 over the six months that followed.

Barclays said that the change in investment complaints amounts to a 16% drop when last year's second half is compared to the first half of 2011.  Year-on-year, however, amount to a 77% jump in the number of complaints that Barclays opened.

Across the board, looking at complaints linked to Barclays' broader range of services like banking, home insurance and life and pensions, the number of complaints opened by Barclays fell by 30%.

Barclays said that the drop of almost a third showed it was making 'sustained' progress on its ambition to improve services and drive complaints down.