Major banks in the UK are beginning to tailor products for the rapidly growing Polish community and recruiting Polish-speaking staff.

Barclays has been holding seminars for Polish residents in south-west London on how to buy a home and set up a business in the UK.

The bank has also been recruiting Polish-speaking staff in at least 30 branches and has been forging links with the community by sponsoring a Polish Festival on Ealing Common, which will take place in September.

A spokeswoman for Barclays said: "The Polish community in the UK is growing and is a key target audience for us.

"We're finding they value expertise on how to bank in the UK which is delivered in their own language."

HSBC offers Passport, a bank account specifically for migrants which can be opened before they leave their home country and which offers discounted money services.

And Lloyds TSB is also looking at ways to attract Polish customers.

"We regard Polish consumers as a very important target audience, one which is industrious and a key mover in the UK economy," a spokesman said. "We will be developing a number of programmes which we believe will have appeal and relevance to them."