RNS No 0140f
BARCLAYS PLC
6th May 1998


Barclays PLC announces b2 - a fresh new company to change
the way we save.

b2, a fresh, new financial company has been launched today.
b2 will introduce a new approach to savings which will
change the way we save so that in future many more people
will feel confident and comfortable to make more of their
money.  b2 is backed by the Barclays Group.

A study by b2, revealing a #25 billion 'savings gap' over
the last five years, confirms the need for an evolution in
savings habits.

The launch of b2 is a significant initiative by Barclays to
increase its presence in the UK savings and investment
market. Martin Taylor, Barclays chief executive, said:
"Demand for better value, better return, long term personal
savings will grow quickly, driven by demographics and by the
diminishing role of the state in this area. This will be a
very important market for us.  With b2, Barclays is breaking
new ground to seize this opportunity."

"b2 is a new retail brand, with a new approach and an
innovative first product.  It draws on the skills and
strengths from around the Barclays Group."  b2's launch
product, the Advanced Savings Account, is a unique
combination of opportunity, safety and convenience. It
combines the security, flexibility and convenience of a
deposit account with the earnings potential of the stock
market by offering savers Stock Market Protection on money
put into the b2 Stock Market Growth Fund, all in a fully
flexible account structure.

Mark Bogard, managing director of b2, said: "Many people
feel that they could make more of their money than in the
building society.  But they simply don't feel confident or
comfortable enough to do anything about it - too much
jargon, too much risk, too inflexible. 'It's not for me'. b2
will bridge the gap between savings and investing for
ordinary savers."

"We have talked to thousands of savers and found that they
wanted that gap bridged by a company with the know-how,
security and stability of a blue-chip financial provider.
Allied to what they see as the freshness, accountability and
independence of some of the newcomers to financial services.
Savers want something safe, but exciting. b2 will deliver
that. It's a small name that stands for a big idea!"

The Advanced Savings Account offers savers a unique
combination of benefits:
-   the unlimited growth potential of the stock market
-   100 per cent downside capital protection, if the stock
    market does not rise over a period of their choice
    (three, five or seven years)
-   the income that flows from the investment
-   withdrawals at any time if needed, when a minimum 85
    per cent of total savings are guaranteed, whatever the
    performance of the stock market at that time
-   flexible start up choices of a #500 lump sum or from
    #50 a month. Money can be added at any time. Savers can
    also take payment 'holidays' or save for a many or as
    few months of the year as they want
-   for an annual management fee of 1.5 per cent charged to
    Stock Market Growth Fund. No other charges are made for
    making deposits, withdrawals, monthly savings or any
    other changes to the account.

A study by b2, called 'Mind the Gap', shows four million
Britons lost over #10 billion in a 'savings gap' last year
alone.  The gap is the difference between how much long term
savers get putting their money into savings accounts and how
much they could earn investing in the stock market.

The four million savers in the UK with over #1,000 in
restricted access accounts typically made #246 in interest
over the last year.  Investing their money in the stock
market they would have made #2,988 - a difference of #2,742.
Over the last five years, the same gap has cost savers over
#25 billion.

The launch of b2 follows an 18 month programme to develop
Barclays UK retail mutual funds business.  Barclays launched
Barclays Global Investors Funds in October 1997 to offer
investment products to be exclusively promoted through
Independent Financial Advisers.  It also developed a new
streamlined product range, called Barclays Investment
Portfolios, for sale through Barclays regulated sale force.

b2 starts a major national advertising campaign today
starring Richard E. Grant, and opens for business on 18 May
1998.  It will initially be accessible by phone and post,
seven days a week between 8am and 10pm.

Barclays Global Investors will be b2's investment manager
and Barclays Capital will provide the b2 Stock Market
Protection.

Mark Bogard added: "The Advanced Saving Account is a mould-
breaking product.  There will be more to come from b2".

Customers can contact b2 from 18 May 1998 by calling 0800
626262 or visiting www.b2.com


Note:

Past performance cannot be relied upon to predict how an
investment will perform in future.  The price of units and
the income they pay can go down as well as up.

For further information please contact:

Di Skidmore                        Ian Roundell
Public Relations                   Barclays PLC
b2 limited                         Investor Relations
0171 329 0505                      0171 699 2961


END

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