PENALTY charges imposed on consumers in the depths of the financial crisis contributed to a record $12.7 billion fees bonanza enjoyed by Australia's banks in the last financial year.

As the sagging economy left many Australians in tough circumstances, the banks managed to extract an extra 9 per cent in fee income from consumers and businesses in the 12 months to June 30 last year.

Reserve Bank data released yesterday showed fees charged to households rose by 3 per cent to $5 billion. Businesses were hit harder, with a 13 per cent jump in non-interest fees to $7.7 billion over the same period.

The Australian Bankers Association calculated that the fees charged to households represented $11.50 each week paid by every Australian household.

About $1.2 billion of the total - or about $1 in every $10 in bank charges - was accounted for by penalty fees, a figure little changed from the previous year.