UK Dividend Monitor: Financials help headline dividends approach £100bn in 2018

Annual figures

Financials helped dividends surpass expectations to reach £99.8bn in 2018, according to the latest quarterly dividend monitor from Link Asset Services.

Dividends had been forecast to total £99.5bn in 2018 but this increased to £99.8bn thanks to a 15.6% jump in Q4 dividends to £17.3bn. The fourth quarter is traditionally a quiet period for dividends but Link said this year's quarter included a 'strong showing' from banks, with dividends 26% higher in the quarter. "2018 saw real improvement in banking dividends. In the fourth quarter, the Royal Bank of Scotland paid its first dividend in ten years; in the second quarter, Standard Chartered paid its first dividend since 2015; and Lloyds is now distributing more than it did before the fi...