Lloyds will update the available balance very quickly but not identify what is causing the discrepancy between the available and "actual" balance. US Banks will at least list "XY Company (Pending Charge)" and the difference in the available balance from the "real" balance is obvious. There are days when I go shopping and hit 5+ stores at once. When I got home in the US, I could log onto my account and see exactly where those charges were from, even the open-ended $1-only-authorized transactions (like at the gas pump). In the UK, I have to think hard about where I went, add up my receipts, and hope that I get the same number as the bank does. There have been times when I don't get the same number (either lost a receipt, miscounted, forgot a transaction) and I have to write down the difference to check with the statement later.
