BARCLAYS has been ranked as the worst current account provider for the third time in a row, according to the latest poll from consumer finance website MoneySavingExpert.com.

The survey showed 20 per cent of the bank's customers rated its service as "poor", up from 18 per cent the last time it was conducted in February. It said 42 per cent rated the account as "OK" and 38 per cent as "great".

MoneySavingExpert said the poor rating for Barclays came despite the bank unveiling its Blue Rewards scheme earlier this year, which sees customers pay £3 per month to get at least £7 in return.

The bank's scores were in contrast to First Direct, which again topped the poll, with 92 per cent saying its current account was great, 7 per cent saying it was OK and only 1 per cent saying it was poor.

State-backed Royal Bank of Scotland fared badly, in 12th position out of 13. NatWest, also part of the RBS group - which is 73 per cent owned by the taxpayer - was in 10th position.

More than 9,000 people took part in the survey, which is carried out twice a year.

Guy Anker, managing editor at MoneySavingExpert.com, said: "Anyone unhappy with the service they're getting from their bank needs to ditch it, especially as some of the best deals are from banks with good service."

The table of current account customer services ratings from best to worst:

1. First Direct; 2. Santander; 3. Nationwide; 4. Smile and Co-op; 5. Halifax; 6. TSB; 7. Bank of Scotland; 8. HSBC; 9. Lloyds Bank; 10. NatWest; 11. Clydesdale & Yorkshire; 12. Royal Bank of Scotland; 13. Barclays.