The UK’s banking regulator reports that its big eight financial firms have an aggregate capital shortfall of £27.1 billion ($43.2 billion).

The Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA) reports that, as of the end of 2012, five of the eight banks (Barclays, Co-operative Bank, Lloyds Banking Group, Nationwide and Royal Bank of Scotland) fell short of its capital standards, which calls for the major banks and building societies to maintain capital amounting to 7% of risk-weighted assets by the end of 2013.

Back in March, the initial shortfall was estimated at around £25 billion; and, at that time, the five firms had in place plans to take actions that generated the equivalent of approximately £12.5 billion of capital during 2013. Now, firms have plans for actions that would raise another £13.7 billion, it says.

However, the PRA notes that a number of these actions will require regulatory approval before being implemented, so they cannot be assumed to have contributed to meeting the requirement until approval is given. And, even after these planned actions, the PRA expects that four of the five firms will still have a shortfall. These firms have been required to submit plans for additional actions, it says, which will generate the equivalent of an additional £13.4 billion of capital.

The regulator says it believes that these plans can be put into effect, and that the vast majority of actions are due to be completed by the end of 2013, but that it has allowed some flexibility for these actions to be delivered during the first half of 2014. “The PRA will hold firms to these plans, and will require additional actions to be taken if capital to cover the full shortfalls is at risk of not being delivered by any firm,” it says.

Additionally, it notes that, for most firms, meeting the recommended 7% risk-weighted capital standard will leave their leverage ratio at no less than 3%. However, the estimated leverage ratios for Barclays and Nationwide would be under 3.0%; and the PRA board requires them to submit a plan for reaching 3% by the end of June. It will consider those plans in early July and will report publicly on whether it has agreed the plans or whether revisions have been requested.

The PRA says it has also asked firms to ensure that all plans to address shortfalls do not reduce lending to the real economy.

£1 = $1.59