UK bank bail-out 64$ Billion to HBOS Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland

Britain waded in with 37 billion pounds ($64 billion) of taxpayers' cash to bail out three major banks on Monday, in a move that could make the government their main shareholder.

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS.L) said in a statement it will boost its capital by 20 billion pounds, including the UK government taking 5 billion pounds in preference shares and 15 billion pounds underwritten by the government.

HBOS (HBOS.L) and Lloyds TSB (LLOY.L) will also participate in the government scheme "upon successful merger," the Treasury said in a statement on Monday.

Barclays (BARC.L) said in a separate statement it would boost its capital by more than 6.5 billion pounds but expected to do so without government help.

Finance Minister Alistair Darling said extreme times called for extreme measures and that he was prepared to make even more money available if necessary.