Free Writing Prospectus (To the Prospectus dated August 31, 2010, the Prospectus Supplement dated May 27, 2011, and the Product supplement STEPS-1 dated June 9, 2011) Filed Pursuant to Rule 433 Registration No. 333-169119

Subject to Completion

Preliminary Term Sheet dated September 27, 2012

The notes are being issued by Barclays Bank PLC (“Barclays”). There are important differences between the notes and a conventional debt security, including different investment risks. See “Risk Factors” on page TS-5 of this term sheet and beginning on page S-8 of product supplement STEPS-1.

None of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), any state securities commission, or any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this Note Prospectus (as defined below) is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

	Per Unit		Total
Public offering price (1) (2) (3)		$10.000	$
Underwriting discount (2) (3)		$0.175	$
Proceeds, before expenses, to Barclays		$9.825	$

⁽¹⁾ Plus accrued interest from the scheduled settlement date, if settlement occurs after that date.

⁽²⁾ For any purchase of 500,000 units or more in a single transaction by an individual investor, the public offering price and the underwriting discount will be $9.95 per unit and $0.125 per unit, respectively.

⁽³⁾ For any purchase by certain fee-based trusts and discretionary accounts managed by U.S. Trust operating through Bank of America, N.A., the public offering price and underwriting discount will be $9.825 per unit and $0.00 per unit, respectively.

The notes:

  Are Not FDIC Insured   Are Not Bank Guaranteed   May Lose Value

Merrill Lynch & Co.

October     , 2012

Units

$10 principal amount per unit

CUSIP No.

Pricing Date* October     , 2012

Settlement Date* October     , 2012

Maturity Date* October     , 2013

*Subject to change based on the actual date the notes are priced for initial sale to the public (the “pricing date”)

STEP Income Securities® Linked to the Common Stock of International Paper Company

Maturity of approximately one year and one week

Interest payable quarterly at the rate of 7.5% per year

A payment of [$0.10 to $0.50] per unit if the Underlying Stock increases to or above 107.50% of the Starting Value

1-to-1 downside exposure to decreases in the Underlying Stock beyond a 5% decline, with up to 95% of your principal at risk

All payments on the notes subject to the credit risk of Barclays Bank PLC

Limited secondary market liquidity, with no exchange listing

The notes are senior unsecured debt securities and are not deposit liabilities of Barclays Bank PLC. The notes are not insured by the US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency of the United States, the United Kingdom, or any other jurisdiction

STEP Income Securities^® Linked to the Common Stock of International Paper Company, due October     , 2013     

Summary

The STEP Income Securities^® Linked to the Common Stock of International Paper Company, due October     , 2013 (the “notes”) are our senior unsecured debt securities. The notes are not guaranteed or insured by the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency of the United States, the United Kingdom or any other jurisdiction or secured by collateral. The notes will rank equally with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt. Any payments due on the notes, including any repayment of principal, will be subject to the credit risk of Barclays. The notes provide quarterly interest payments. Additionally, if the Ending Value is at or above the Step Level, the notes will also provide a payment of [$0.10 to $0.50] per unit at maturity. If the Ending Value is less than the Step Level, the Redemption Amount will not be greater than your principal amount. If the Ending Value is less than the Threshold Value, the Redemption Amount will be less, and possibly significantly less, than the principal amount of your notes.

The terms and risks of the notes are contained in this term sheet and the documents listed below (together, the “Note Prospectus”). The documents have been filed as part of a registration statement with the SEC, which may, without cost, be accessed on the SEC website as indicated below or obtained from MLPF&S by calling 1-866-500-5408:

§ Product supplement STEPS-1 dated June 9, 2011:

http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/312070/000119312511161969/d424b3.htm

§ Series A MTN prospectus supplement dated May 27, 2011:

http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/312070/000119312511152766/d424b3.htm

§ Prospectus dated August 31, 2010:

http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/312070/000119312510201448/df3asr.htm

Before you invest, you should read the Note Prospectus, including this term sheet, for information about us and this offering. Any prior or contemporaneous oral statements and any other written materials you may have received are superseded by the Note Prospectus. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this term sheet have the meanings set forth in product supplement STEPS-1. Unless otherwise indicated or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this document to “we,” “us,” “our,” or similar references are to Barclays.

Terms of the Notes

Issuer:	Barclays Bank PLC (“Barclays”)
Original Offering Price:	$10 per unit
Term:	Approximately one year and one week
Underlying Stock:	Common stock of International Paper Company (the “Underlying Company”) (NYSE symbol: IP)
Starting Value:	The Volume Weighted Average Price on the pricing date.
Volume Weighted Average Price:	The volume weighted average price (rounded to two decimal places) shown on page “AQR” on Bloomberg L.P. for trading in shares of the Underlying Stock taking place from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 4:02 p.m. on all U.S. exchanges.
Ending Value:	The Closing Market Price of the Underlying Stock on the valuation date, multiplied by the Price Multiplier. The valuation date is subject to postponement in the event of Market Disruption Events, as described beginning on page S-19 of product supplement STEPS-1.
Valuation Date:	The fifth scheduled trading day immediately prior to the maturity date.
Interest Rate:	7.50% per year
Interest Payment Dates:	Quarterly, on January     , 2013, April     , 2013, July     , 2013 and October     , 2013
Step Payment:	[$0.10 to $0.50] per unit, which represents a return of [1.00% to 5.00%] of the Original Offering Price. The actual Step Payment will be determined on the pricing date.
Step Level:	107.50% of the Starting Value, rounded to two decimal places.
Threshold Value:	95.00% of the Starting Value, rounded to two decimal places.
Price Multiplier:	1, subject to adjustment for certain corporate events relating to the Underlying Stock described beginning on page S-22 of product supplement STEPS-1.
Calculation Agent:	Barclays and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“MLPF&S”).
Fees Charged:	The public offering price of the notes includes the underwriting discount of $0.175 per unit as listed on the cover page and an additional charge of $0.075 per unit more fully described on page TS-7.

Redemption Amount Determination

In addition to interest payable, on the maturity date, you will receive a cash payment per unit determined as follows:

  STEP Income Securities^®   TS-2

STEP Income Securities^® Linked to the Common Stock of International Paper Company, due October     , 2013     

Investor Considerations

You may wish to consider an investment in the notes if:

§ You anticipate that the Ending Value will be greater than or equal to the Step Level.

§ You seek interest payments on your investment.

§ You accept that the maximum return on the notes is limited to the sum of the quarterly interest payments and the Step Payment, if any.

§ You accept that your investment will result in a loss, which could be significant, if the Ending Value is below the Threshold Value.

§ You are willing to forgo dividends or other benefits of owning shares of the Underlying Stock.

§ You are willing to accept a limited market for sales prior to maturity, and understand that the market prices for the notes, if any, will be affected by various factors, including our actual and perceived creditworthiness, and the fees charged on the notes, as described on page TS-2.

§ You are willing to assume our credit risk, as issuer of the notes, for all payments under the notes, including the Redemption Amount.

The notes may not be an appropriate investment for you if:

§ You anticipate that the Ending Value will be less than the Step Level.

§ You anticipate that the price of the Underlying Stock will increase substantially and do not want a payment at maturity that is limited to the Step Payment.

§ You seek 100% principal protection or preservation of capital.

§ In addition to interest payments, you seek an additional guaranteed return above the principal amount.

§ You seek to receive dividends or other distributions paid on the Underlying Stock.

§ You seek an investment for which there will be a liquid secondary market.

§ You are unwilling or are unable to take market risk on the notes or to take our credit risk as issuer of the notes.

We urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting, and other advisors before you invest in the notes.

Hypothetical Payments at Maturity

The following examples are for purposes of illustration only. They are based on hypothetical values and show hypothetical payments on the notes. The actual amount you receive and the resulting return will depend on the actual Starting Value, Threshold Value, Ending Value, Step Level, Step Payment, and term of your investment. The following examples do not take into account any tax consequences from investing in the notes. These examples are based on:

1) a Starting Value of 100.00;

2) a Threshold Value of 95.00;

3) a Step Level of 107.50;

4) a Step Payment of $0.30 per unit (the midpoint of the Step Payment range of [$0.10 to $0.50] per unit);

5) an expected term of the notes of approximately one year and one week; and

6) the interest rate of 7.50% per year.

The hypothetical Starting Value of 100.00 used in these examples has been chosen for illustrative purposes only, and does not represent a likely actual Starting Value of the Underlying Stock. For recent actual prices of the Underlying Stock, see “The Underlying Stock” section below. In addition, all payments on the notes are subject to issuer credit risk.

Example 1

The Ending Value is 115.00 (115.00% of the Starting Value)

The Ending Value is greater than the Step Level. Consequently, in addition to the quarterly interest payments, you will receive on the maturity date the principal amount of your notes plus the Step Payment of $0.30 per unit. The Redemption Amount per unit on the maturity date will therefore be equal to $10.30 per unit ($10.00 plus the Step Payment of $0.30 per unit).

Example 2

The Ending Value is 105.00 (105.00% of the Starting Value)

The Ending Value is greater than the Starting Value but below the Step Level. Consequently, you will receive the quarterly interest payments, but you will not receive the Step Payment on the maturity date. The Redemption Amount per unit on the maturity date will therefore be equal to $10.00.

  STEP Income Securities^®   TS-3

STEP Income Securities^® Linked to the Common Stock of International Paper Company, due October     , 2013     

Example 3

The Ending Value is 96.00 (96.00% of the Starting Value)

The Ending Value is less than the Starting Value, but greater than the Threshold Value. Consequently, you will receive the quarterly interest payments, but you will not receive the Step Payment on the maturity date. The Redemption Amount per unit on the maturity date will therefore be equal to $10.00.

Example 4

The Ending Value is 70.00 (70.00% of the Starting Value)

The Ending Value is less than the Starting Value and the Threshold Value. Consequently, you will receive the quarterly interest payments, but you will not receive the Step Payment on the maturity date, and you will participate on a 1-for-1 basis in the decrease in the price of the Underlying Stock below the Threshold Value. The Redemption Amount per unit will equal:

$10 –	[	$10 ×	(	95.00  –  70.00	)	]	= $7.50
				100.00

On the maturity date, you will receive the Redemption Amount per unit of $7.50.

Summary of the Hypothetical Examples	Example 1	Example 2	Example 3	Example 4
	The Ending Value is greater than or equal to the Step Level	The Ending Value is less than the Step Level but greater than or equal to the Starting Value	The Ending Value is less than the Starting Value but greater than or equal to the Threshold Value	The Ending Value is less than the Threshold Value
Starting Value	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
Ending Value	115.00	105.00	96.00	70.00
Step Level	107.50	107.50	107.50	107.50
Threshold Value	95.00	95.00	95.00	95.00
Interest Rate (per year)	7.50%	7.50%	7.50%	7.50%
Step Payment	$0.30	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
Redemption Amount per Unit	$10.30	$10.00	$10.00	$7.50
Total Return of the Underlying Stock (1)	18.03%	8.03%	-0.97%	-26.97%
Total Return on the Notes (2)	10.65%	7.65%	7.65%	-17.35%

⁽¹⁾  The total return of the Underlying Stock assumes:

(a) the percentage change in the price of the Underlying Stock from the Starting Value to the Ending Value;

(b) a constant dividend yield of 2.97% per year; and

(c) no transaction fees or expenses.

⁽²⁾  The total return on the notes includes interest paid on the notes and assumes an expected term of the notes of approximately one year and one week.

  STEP Income Securities^®   TS-4

STEP Income Securities^® Linked to the Common Stock of International Paper Company, due October     , 2013     

Risk Factors

There are important differences between the notes and a conventional debt security. An investment in the notes involves significant risks, including those listed below. You should carefully review the more detailed explanation of risks relating to the notes in the “Risk Factors” sections beginning on page S-8 of product supplement STEPS-1 and page S-6 of the Series A MTN prospectus supplement; identified above under “Summary”. We also urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting, and other advisors before you invest in the notes.

§ Depending on the performance of the Underlying Stock as measured shortly before the maturity date, your investment may result in a loss; there is no guaranteed return of principal.

§ Your yield may be less than the yield you could earn by owning a conventional debt security of comparable maturity.

§ Payments on the notes are subject to our credit risk, and actual or perceived changes in our creditworthiness are expected to affect the value of the notes. If we become insolvent or are unable to pay our obligations, you may lose your entire investment.

§ You will not receive a Step Payment at maturity unless the Ending Value is greater than or equal to the Step Level.

§ Your investment return, if any, is limited to the return represented by the periodic interest payments over the term of the notes and the Step Payment, if any, and may be less than a comparable investment directly in the Underlying Stock.

§ If you attempt to sell the notes prior to maturity, their market value may be lower than the price you paid for the notes due to, among other things, the inclusion of fees charged for developing, hedging and distributing of the notes, as described on page TS-7 and various credit, market and economic factors that interrelate in complex and unpredictable ways.

§ A trading market is not expected to develop for the notes. We, MLPF&S and our respective affiliates are not obligated to make a market for, or to repurchase, the notes.

§ Our business, hedging and trading activities, and those of MLPF&S and our respective affiliates (including trading in shares of the Underlying Stock), and any hedging and trading activities we, MLPF&S or our respective affiliates engage in for our clients’ accounts, may affect the market value and return of the notes and may create conflicts of interest with you.

§ The Underlying Company will have no obligations relating to the notes, and neither we nor MLPF&S will perform any due diligence procedures with respect to the Underlying Company in connection with this offering.

§ You will have no rights of a holder of the Underlying Stock, and you will not be entitled to receive shares of the Underlying Stock or dividends or other distributions by the Underlying Company.

§ While we, MLPF&S or our respective affiliates may from time to time own shares of the Underlying Company, we, MLPF&S and our respective affiliates do not control the Underlying Company, and are not responsible for any disclosure made by the Underlying Company.

§ The Redemption Amount will not be adjusted for all corporate events that could affect the Underlying Stock. See “Description of the Notes — Anti-Dilution Adjustments” beginning on page S-22 of product supplement STEPS-1.

§ There may be potential conflicts of interest involving the calculation agent. We have the right to appoint and remove the calculation agent.

§ The U.S. federal income tax consequences of the notes are uncertain, and may be adverse to a holder of the notes. See “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences” below and “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary” beginning on page S-31 of product supplement STEPS-1.

Other Terms of the Notes

Business Day

The following definition shall supersede and replace the definition of a “Business Day” set forth on page S-18 of the product supplement STEPS-1:

A “Business Day” means any day other than a day on which banking institutions in New York, New York, or London, England are authorized or required by law, regulation, or executive order to close.

  STEP Income Securities^®   TS-5

STEP Income Securities^® Linked to the Common Stock of International Paper Company, due October     , 2013     

The Underlying Stock

We have derived the following information from publicly available documents published by the Underlying Company. We have not performed any independent review of the following information. International Paper Company produces and distributes printing paper, packaging, forest products, and chemical products. The company operates specialty businesses in global markets as well as a broadly based distribution network, and exports its products worldwide.

Because the Underlying Stock is registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Underlying Company is required to file periodically certain financial and other information specified by the SEC. Information provided to or filed with the SEC by the Underlying Company can be located at the Public Reference Section of the SEC, 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549 or through the SEC’s web site at http://www.sec.gov by reference to SEC CIK number 51434.

This term sheet relates only to the notes and does not relate to the Underlying Stock or to any other securities of the Underlying Company. None of us, MLPF&S, or any of our respective affiliates has participated or will participate in the preparation of the Underlying Company’s publicly available documents. None of us, MLPF&S, or any of our respective affiliates has made any due diligence inquiry with respect to the Underlying Company in connection with the offering of the notes. None of us, MLPF&S, or any of our respective affiliates makes any representation that the publicly available documents or any other publicly available information regarding the Underlying Company are accurate or complete. Furthermore, there can be no assurance that all events occurring prior to the date of this term sheet, including events that would affect the accuracy or completeness of these publicly available documents that would affect the trading price of the Underlying Stock, have been or will be publicly disclosed. Subsequent disclosure of any events or the disclosure of or failure to disclose material future events concerning the Underlying Company could affect the value of the Underlying Stock and therefore could affect your return on the notes. Information from outside sources is not incorporated by reference in, and should not be considered part of, this term sheet or any accompanying prospectus, prospectus supplement or product supplement. The selection of the Underlying Stock is not a recommendation to buy or sell the Underlying Stock.

The Underlying Stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “IP”.

Historical Data

The following table shows the quarterly high and low Closing Market Prices of the shares of the Underlying Stock on its primary exchange from the first quarter of 2007 through September 26, 2012. We obtained this historical data from Bloomberg L.P. We have not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the information obtained from Bloomberg L.P.

		High ($)	Low ($)
2007	First Quarter	37.78	32.84
	Second Quarter	39.88	36.58
	Third Quarter	41.46	31.88
	Fourth Quarter	37.06	31.66
2008	First Quarter	33.50	26.68
	Second Quarter	29.10	23.30
	Third Quarter	30.59	22.00
	Fourth Quarter	26.06	10.36
2009	First Quarter	12.52	4.09
	Second Quarter	15.81	6.86
	Third Quarter	25.12	13.99
	Fourth Quarter	27.66	21.35
2010	First Quarter	28.14	22.15
	Second Quarter	28.63	21.08
	Third Quarter	25.50	19.88
	Fourth Quarter	27.24	21.52
2011	First Quarter	30.29	25.63
	Second Quarter	32.86	26.57
	Third Quarter	30.95	23.23
	Fourth Quarter	29.64	22.65
2012	First Quarter	36.29	29.97
	Second Quarter	35.17	27.81
	Third Quarter (through September 26, 2012)	36.78	28.56

  STEP Income Securities^®   TS-6

STEP Income Securities^® Linked to the Common Stock of International Paper Company, due October     , 2013     

This historical data on the Underlying Stock is not necessarily indicative of the future performance of the Underlying Stock or what the value of the notes may be. Any historical upward or downward trend in the price per share of the Underlying Stock during any period set forth above is not an indication that the price per share of the Underlying Stock is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the notes.

Before investing in the notes, you should consult publicly available sources for the prices and trading pattern of the Underlying Stock.

Supplement to the Plan of Distribution

We may deliver the notes against payment therefor in New York, New York on a date that is greater than three business days following the pricing date. Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in three business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, if the initial settlement of the notes occurs more than three business days from the pricing date, purchasers who wish to trade the notes more than three business days prior to the original issue date will be required to specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.

The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange. In the original offering of the notes, the notes will be sold in minimum investment amounts of 100 units.

MLPF&S will not receive an underwriting discount for notes sold to certain fee-based trusts and fee-based discretionary accounts managed by U.S. Trust operating through Bank of America, N.A.

If you place an order to purchase the notes, you are consenting to MLPF&S acting as a principal in effecting the transaction for your account.

MLPF&S may repurchase and resell the notes, with repurchases and resales being made at prices related to then-prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. MLPF&S may act as principal or agent in these market-making transactions; however it is not obligated to engage in any such transactions.

The distribution of the Note Prospectus in connection with these offers or sales will be solely for the purpose of providing investors with the description of the terms of the notes that was made available to investors in connection with their initial offering. Secondary market investors should not, and will not be authorized to, rely on the Note Prospectus for information regarding Barclays or for any purpose other than that described in the immediately preceding sentence.

Role of MLPF&S

Under our distribution agreement with MLPF&S, MLPF&S will purchase the notes from us as principal at the public offering price indicated on the cover of this term sheet, less the indicated underwriting discount. The public offering price includes, in addition to the underwriting discount, a charge of approximately $0.075 per unit, reflecting an estimated profit earned by MLPF&S from transactions through which the notes are structured and resulting obligations hedged. Actual profits or losses from these hedging transactions may be more or less than this amount. In entering into the hedging arrangements for the notes, we seek competitive terms and may enter into hedging transactions with MLPF&S or one of its subsidiaries or affiliates.

All charges related to the notes, including the underwriting discount and the hedging related costs and charges, reduce the economic terms of the notes. For further information regarding these charges, our trading and hedging activities and conflicts of interest, see “Risk Factors — General Risks Relating to the Notes” beginning on page S-8 and “Use of Proceeds” on page S-17 of product supplement STEPS-1.

  STEP Income Securities^®   TS-7

STEP Income Securities^® Linked to the Common Stock of International Paper Company, due October     , 2013     

Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences

Except as noted under “Non-U.S. Holders” below, this section applies to you only if you are a U.S. holder (as defined in product supplement STEPS-1) and you hold your notes as capital assets for tax purposes and does not apply to you if you are a member of a class of holders subject to special rules or are otherwise excluded from the discussion in product supplement STEPS-1 (for example, if you did not purchase your notes in the initial issuance of the notes).

There is no judicial or administrative authority discussing how your notes should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Pursuant to the terms of the notes, you agree with us, in the absence of a change in law or an administrative or judicial ruling to the contrary, to characterize your notes as a pre-paid income-bearing cash-settled executory contract with respect to the Underlying Stock. If your notes are so treated, you will likely be taxed on the periodic interest payments as ordinary income in accordance with your regular method of accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes and you should generally recognize capital gain or loss upon the sale or maturity of your notes in an amount equal to the difference between the amount you receive at such time (other than amounts attributable to a periodic interest payment, which will likely be treated as ordinary income) and the amount you paid for your notes. Such gain or loss should generally be long-term capital gain or loss if you have held your notes for more than one year. Any character mismatch arising from your inclusion of ordinary income and capital loss (if any) upon the sale or maturity of your notes may result in adverse tax consequences to you because an investor’s ability to deduct capital losses is subject to significant limitations.

In the opinion of our special tax counsel, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, it would be reasonable to treat the notes in the manner described above. No assurance can be given that the IRS or any court will agree with this characterization and tax treatment. There are other possible treatments that are described in a detailed discussion of tax considerations under the section entitled “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary” beginning on page S-31 of product supplement STEPS-1 and one or more of these might ultimately govern the tax treatment of the notes.

You should consult your tax advisor concerning the U.S. federal income tax and other tax consequences of your investment in the notes in your particular circumstances, including the application of state, local or other tax laws and the possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.

“Specified Foreign Financial Asset” Reporting. Under legislation enacted in 2010, owners of “specified foreign financial assets” with an aggregate value in excess of $50,000 (and in some circumstances, a higher threshold) may be required to file an information report with respect to such assets with their tax returns. “Specified foreign financial assets” generally include any financial accounts maintained by foreign financial institutions, as well as any of the following (which may include your notes), but only if they are not held in accounts maintained by financial institutions: (i) stocks and securities issued by non-U.S. persons, (ii) financial instruments and contracts held for investment that have non-U.S. issuers or counterparties and (iii) interests in foreign entities. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the application of this legislation to their ownership of the notes.

Non-U.S. Holders. Barclays currently does not withhold on payments to non-U.S. holders in respect of instruments such as the notes. However, if Barclays determines that there is a material risk that it will be required to withhold on any such payments, Barclays may withhold on any quarterly interest payments at a 30% rate, unless you have provided to Barclays (i) a valid Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI or (ii) a valid Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN claiming tax treaty benefits that reduce or eliminate withholding. If Barclays elects to withhold and you have provided Barclays with a valid Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN claiming tax treaty benefits that reduce or eliminate withholding, Barclays may nevertheless withhold up to 30% on payments it makes to you if there is any possible characterization of the payments that would not be exempt from withholding under the treaty. In addition, non-U.S. holders will be subject to the general rules regarding information reporting and backup withholding as described under the heading “Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations — Information Reporting and Backup Withholding” in the accompanying prospectus supplement.

  STEP Income Securities^®   TS-8

STEP Income Securities^® Linked to the Common Stock of International Paper Company, due October     , 2013     

Where You Can Find More Information

We have filed a registration statement (including a product supplement, a prospectus supplement, and a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this term sheet relates. Before you invest, you should read the Note Prospectus, including this term sheet, and the other documents that we have filed with the SEC, for more complete information about us and this offering. You may get these documents without cost by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, we, any agent, or any dealer participating in this offering will arrange to send you these documents if you so request by calling MLPF&S toll-free at 1-866-500-5408.

Market-Linked Investments Classification

MLPF&S classifies certain market-linked investments (the “Market-Linked Investments”) into categories, each with different investment characteristics. The following description is meant solely for informational purposes and is not intended to represent any particular Enhanced Income Market-Linked Investment or guarantee any performance.

Enhanced Income Market-Linked Investments are short- to medium-term market-linked notes that offer you a way to enhance your income stream, either through variable or fixed-interest coupons, an added payout at maturity based on the performance of the linked asset, or both. In exchange for receiving current income, you will generally forfeit upside potential on the linked asset. Even so, the prospect of higher interest payments and/or an additional payout may equate to a higher return potential than you may be able to find through other fixed-income securities. Enhanced Income Market-Linked Investments generally do not include market downside protection. The degree to which your principal is repaid at maturity is generally determined by the performance of the linked asset. Although enhanced income streams may help offset potential declines in the asset, you can still lose part or all of your original investment.

“STEP Income Securities^®” and “STEPS^®” are registered service marks of Bank of America Corporation, the parent company of MLPF&S.

  STEP Income Securities^®   TS-9