STATE-BACKED Lloyds Banking Group is planning to cut about 9,000 jobs over the next three years, it has been claimed.

The three-year plan is expected to include branch closures as Lloyds moves customers to online banking.

An announcement is expected to be made when Lloyds publishes its third quarter results on Tuesday, October 28.

Union Unite has called on financial regulators to investigate how the information was leaked.

It said it was "deeply upsetting" for the bank's staff to hear reports of job cuts in the media before being told anything official.

A spokesman said: "We would urge financial regulators to investigate how potentially market sensitive information about Lloyds has repeatedly found its way into the public domain.

"Leaks and speculation about the future of thousands of staff is a reprehensible way to treat customers and a dedicated workforce who have worked hard to get Lloyds back on track.

"It is deeply unsettling for staff who have already endured the uncertainty of job cuts and we will be urgently meeting the bank to get answers."

The group remains 25 per cent owned by the taxpayer following its £20bn rescue by the Government at the height of the financial crisis.

It was 43 per cent owned by the Treasury but some of the stake has now been sold off.

Thousands of jobs have been lost at the bank since the financial crisis.

Lloyds declined to comment.