The UK has yet to apply to Brussels for the state aid approval required for more than £310bn of promised state support for banks and business – in spite of ministers stressing the urgency of the initiatives, the Financial Times can reveal.

Businesses warned on Wednesday that the delays and uncertainty surrounding the Treasury and Department for Business support packages were exacerbating the effects of the recession. Jobs could be lost unnecessarily because of the lack of clarity surrounding the government’s proposals, the leading employers’ organisation suggested.