The Royal Bank of Scotland is axing another 3500 jobs under plans to more than halve the bank's administration centres across the UK.

The part-nationalised bank said the job losses would go across back office and IT functions in the business services arm - coming on top of the division's 9000 job cuts announced last year.

The bank, which is 83% owned by the taxpayer, will close 12 of its business services centres across the UK and put three under review.

RBS said the latest jobs cull would start next year and run through to the end of 2012.