The Co-operative Bank is among the biggest "losers" so far in the battle to win new customers who are using a current account switching service while Santander, Halifax and Nationwide have seen strong gains, new figures reveal.

The Payments Council published figures which throw light on how many current account customers have flocked to particular banks or building societies as well as the volume that have left since a new service to make it easier to ditch an existing provider and opt for a new one was launched.

The figures relate to the last three months of 2013 and only cover people who used the current account switch service, which started last September and automatically shifts outgoing and incoming payments over to the new account, while closing the old account.

This means that people who chose to move their payments themselves and keep their old account open, and were therefore not covered by the service, are not part of the data.

Among those customers who did use the current account switching service, the Co-op, including its internet bank brand Smile, saw a net loss of around 15,000 customers in the final quarter of last year.

Lloyds Bank and TSB combined made a net loss of around 20,000 customers over the period while NatWest, which has endured a string of high-profile technical glitches, shed around 14,000 customers using the switching service.

NatWest's sister bank RBS made a net loss of over 7,000 customers using the service, while Barclays made a net loss of just over 13,000 customers, while for HSBC and its brands, the net loss was around 10,000.

Santander, which has been praised for its innovative 123 current account, made an overall gain of 30,000 customers and Halifax, which offers £100 to switch, has piled on over 46,000 extra. Nationwide Building Society, which pays 5% interest on current accounts, has also seen a net gain of around 12,000 people.

The Co-op, which has suffered financial turmoil as well as the drugs scandal involving former chairman Paul Flowers, said it was "unsurprising" its woes have had an impact.

The Co-op said in a statement: "We are extremely grateful for our customers' loyalty through what has been a very difficult period.

"However, given the issues the Bank has had to face in the last 12 months it is unsurprising that this has impacted how some customers have felt about banking with us."

This year has seen the Co-op embark on a fightback for customers, including launching a £125 current account switching offer which includes a donation to charity. It has also recently conducted a widespread customer survey around its ethical policy, which it plans to re-launch in September.

Its statement continued: "We are committed to proving that if values and ethics are important to customers then we remain their bank of choice."

The Payments Council plans to provide regular quarterly updates on the figures, which have been provided by banks on a voluntary basis. Some current account providers have provided their data by lumping several brands together and others have split their figures out.

TSB and Lloyds separated as high street brands last autumn, but the switching figures on the Payments Council's website combine the two banks.

Philip Robinson, director of current accounts at Lloyds Bank said: "The figures published for Lloyds Bank include total switches for two brands that were operating separately throughout quarter four 2013, and are therefore not representative of past or current switching activity for Lloyds Bank.

"Since the launch of the current account switching service we have revitalised Lloyds Bank."

A spokeswoman for RBS/NatWest said that from September 2013 to the end of last year they opened more new current accounts than they closed.

The spokeswoman said: " Our customers have increased their current account balances faster than average market growth, suggesting that our actions to better serve our customers are making a difference...

"We've simplified our product range, we've called time on teaser rates and we're investing over £1 billion over the next four years to improve banking services, such as our mobile apps."

Barclays also said it opens more accounts than it closes.

A Barclays spokeswoman said: "The biggest gains during the first few months were made by providers who undertook dedicated marketing campaigns.

"We remain focused on investing in areas that matter to customers over the long-term including our mobile apps, branch network and new technology."

Matt Hall, director of banking products at Santander, put its large customer uplift down to a combination of its flagship 123 account and its efforts to provide better customer service.

Anthony Warrington, director of Halifax current accounts, also said customer service is key to the upswing that it has seen.

Phil Smith, Nationwide's head of current accounts, said its gains reinforce its position "as the true alternative to the banks".

The current account switch service allows people to change banks in seven working days, rather than up to 30 working days previously. If anything goes wrong with the switch, the person using the service is entitled to be refunded any interest and charges incurred as a result.

Kevin Mountford, head of banking at website MoneySuperMarket said the figures showing the "winners and losers" of the initiative underline how competition to win current account customers over is hotting up.

He said: "Santander, Halifax and Nationwide in particular have had success enticing customers with innovative and competitive products."

Here are the Payments Council's figures for how people are using its current account switching service, with the net gains followed by net losses and the overall net gain between October 1 and December 31 2013:

:: AIB Group (includes the First Trust Bank and Allied Irish Bank GB brand switches), 125, 1,104, minus 979

:: Bank Of Ireland UK (includes the Post Office brand switches), 335, 714, minus 379

:: Bank of Scotland, 3,128, 3,225, minus 97

:: Barclays, 10,983, 24,362, minus 13,379

:: Clydesdale Bank (includes Yorkshire Bank brand switches), 1,110, 7,897, minus 6,787

:: Co-operative (includes the Smile brand switches), 1,937, 17,168, minus 15,231

:: Danske, 505, 827, minus 322

:: Halifax, 66,401, 20,069, 46,332

:: HSBC (includes First Direct and Marks & Spencer brand switches), 18,616, 29,530, minus 10,914

:: Lloyds Bank (includes TSB), 83,639, 103,704, minus 20,065

:: Nationwide, 21,667, 8,988, 12,679

:: NatWest, 12,097, 26,409, minus 14,312

:: RBS (includes Adam & Company, Coutts and Isle of Man brand switches), 2,136, 9,950, minus 7,814

:: Santander, 54,617, 24,616, 30,001

:: Ulster Bank, 337, 1,408, minus 1,071