Banks in the UK saw increased profits in 2014 but challenges remain. While pre-tax profits rose 62% to £20.6 billion, conduct costs were still high at £9.9 billion and return on equity remained below 8% for all banks. Banks continue to reshape their balance sheets to meet regulatory requirements by decreasing risk-weighted assets but this has reduced income and impacted profitability. Overall, UK lending fell 2% as banks maintained a low-risk appetite in a mixed economic environment.