The Financial Conduct Authority and the Bank of England's Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) said on Wednesday they had opened a New Bank Start-up Unit to give information and support to newly-authorised banks and people thinking of setting up a bank.

The government is keen for new banks to enter a market where consumer banking is dominated by a handful of lenders such as HSBC, Barclays, Lloyds, RBS and Santander UK.

Regulators have already made changes, such as easing the initial capital burden and fast-tracking approval of a new bank's top officials, leading to 12 new lenders authorised since 2013 with more in the pipeline.

"With the launch of the New Bank Start-up Unit, applicants will now benefit from having a single place where they can get the advice and guidance they need to start a new bank and support once they are authorised," Bank of England Deputy Governor and PRA Chief Executive, Andrew Bailey, said in a statement.

New banks will benefit from access to a helpline, meetings with supervisors, regulator capital reviews, monthly updates by email, and invitations to seminars on regulatory topics.

(Reporting by Huw Jones; Editing by Mark Potter)