Amid public outcry over bankers' bonuses, Barclays awarded staff £2.7bn (€3.1bn) for 2009 performance, but said chief executive officer John Varley and president Bob Diamond waived awards they would have received for their contributions to the bank's strong results.

The bank said the cash component of the awards, around £1.5bn, and payments relating to "certain prior-year awards" would result in a £225m payment to the UK Treasury to cover last year's hastily implemented 50% tax on bonuses above £25,000.