A LEADING Scottish bank said it can defer mortgage and loan repayments for customers impacted by coronavirus.

The Royal Bank of Scotland will offer the support to customers affected by the outbreak who can defer payments for up to three months. 

It comes after Italy said mortgage payments would be suspended. 

The Glasgow Times understands that the bank will also allow customers to close fixed savings accounts to access cash with no early closure charge. 

Other support will include refunds on credit card advance fees, an opportunity to apply for increased temporary credit card limit and request an increased cash withdrawal limit of up to £500.

An RBS spokesman said: “We are monitoring the potential impact of Coronavirus across all our customers to ensure we can support them appropriately through any period of disruption.

"We have a strong track record in working with our customers who are affected by disruption outside of their control.

“We understand that there may be circumstances where a personal customer may fall into financial difficulty as a result of the impacts of Coronavirus, for instance, loss of income.

"We will look to understand each customer’s situation on a case-by-case basis and can offer a number of options to help them manage their finances.

"We would encourage any customer experiencing financial difficulty to get in touch with us.”

The bank has also been offering similar support to its business customers. The Glasgow Times understands that they have contacted over 5000 businesses to make them aware of this.