FRANKFURT - Euro zone banks curbed access to credit even as demand for it from households and companies fell due to high interest rates and a deteriorating economic outlook, a European Central Bank survey showed on Tuesday.

The ECB's quarterly Bank Lending Survey showed banks tightened their standards for granting a loan to companies and households in the three months to September, citing more pessimism about the economy but also lower liquidity as a result of the central bank's policy tightening.

Demand for loans also fell for all categories of credit.

"Similar to recent quarters, the decline in net demand was significantly stronger than banks had expected, driven mainly by higher interest rates as well as lower fixed investment for firms and lower consumer confidence and deteriorating housing market prospects for households," the ECB said.

(Reporting By Francesco Canepa; Editing by Kevin Liffey)