Short-term finance secured on UK property for British expatriates, foreign nationals and offshore structures — underwritten on the asset and the exit, not your postcode.
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Last updated Reviewed by our Clifton International finance team.
In short
Can expats and non-UK residents get a bridging loan in the UK?
Yes. Specialist UK bridging lenders finance British expatriates, foreign nationals and offshore SPVs, typically up to 70% loan-to-value on UK security at around 0.65%–1.00% per month. Underwriting focuses on the asset and a documented exit rather than UK residency or monthly affordability.
Foreign-currency income in USD, AED, SAR, EUR or HKD is not a barrier.
Offshore companies and trusts are accepted with full structure disclosure.
Certified or apostilled ID and source-of-funds evidence are required.
Allow three to five weeks for cross-border certification and legals.
At a glance
Key facts
Figures reviewed:
Rates
From 0.65% per month
Loan-to-value
Up to 70%
Loan size
£150k – £25m+
Term
3 – 24 months
Interest
Rolled / retained
Speed
3 – 5 weeks
Typical set-up costs
1.5% – 2.5% of loan (arrangement, valuation, legals)Excludes stamp duty; non-resident surcharges may apply.
Adviser response time
Within one working day
Indicative figures for guidance only, correct as at October 2026. Rates, costs and timelines vary by lender, borrower profile, asset and jurisdiction, and are not an offer of finance. How we derive these figures.
Methodology and assumptions
Figures are compiled by Clifton International specialists from live lender term sheets, indicative quotes and completed transactions arranged over the preceding 12 months.
Rates and costs are stated as ranges rather than a single number because pricing is set case-by-case on borrower profile, residency, asset type, location and loan-to-value.
Timelines assume a complete document file from the outset; valuation, legal capacity and (in Spain) NIE and notary availability drive the critical path.
Costs exclude any lender, broker or third-party fees not stated on the page, and exclude currency movement between agreement and drawdown.
Figures are reviewed monthly and re-checked against lender pricing whenever a material market change occurs.
Last reviewed . Read the full Key facts methodology, or speak to our team for a quote based on your circumstances.
At a glance
Expat bridging or a UK-resident bridge — what changes?
The product is the same short-term facility; expat and non-resident cases add identity, source-of-funds and jurisdiction checks that lengthen the timetable slightly.
Feature
Expat / non-resident bridge
UK-resident bridge
Pricing
0.65% – 1.10% per month
0.53% – 0.95% per month
Max LTV
Up to 70%
Up to 75%
Security
Must be UK property
UK property
Documentation
Overseas ID, address and source-of-funds evidence
Standard UK KYC
Foreign income
Accepted, converted and often discounted
Assessed as earned
Borrower structure
Personal, offshore company or trust
Personal or UK SPV
Typical timescale
2 – 4 weeks
1 – 3 weeks
Sanctions / jurisdiction
Country of residence screened
Not applicable
Swipe the table sideways to see all columns.
Lender appetite varies sharply by country of residence; a pre-check avoids a declined application after valuation spend.
The UK security and the exit drive the decision, not where you file a tax return.
Offshore structures
BVI, Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man, UAE and Singapore borrowers financed as standard.
Any-currency income
USD, AED, SAR, EUR and HKD earners are not penalised on a bridge.
Fund purchases abroad
Bridge UK equity to complete on property in Spain, Portugal, France or the Gulf.
Time-zone-aware service
Specialists working to your hours across the Gulf, Asia, the US and Europe.
Exit planning built in
We line up the expat term mortgage or sale strategy that repays the bridge from day one.
Borrower eligibility
Who we can help
British expatriates worldwide
Foreign nationals with no UK residency
Offshore and onshore SPVs, trusts and corporates
Gulf, US, Asian and European-based investors
Typical lending criteria
Indicative parameters
Rates
From 0.65% per month
Loan-to-value
Up to 70%
Loan size
£150k – £25m+
Term
3 – 24 months
Interest
Rolled / retained
Speed
3 – 5 weeks
Indicative only. Actual terms depend on borrower profile, asset and lender criteria.
Rates this month
UK bridging loan rates
Last updated:
Regulated from
0.53%
per month
Unregulated from
0.55%
per month
Typical arrangement fee
2%
of the loan
Maximum LTV
80%
lender dependent
Lowest published monthly rates across 20 lenders' product guides, checked monthly and approved before publishing. Indicative only — not a quote or recommendation. Clifton International is an introducer, not a lender or adviser, and does not handle client funds. See every lender's rates or compare for your loan.
Recent transactions
Case studies from our files
Published transactions from our own case study library — select any to read the full brief.
Yes. Many specialist bridging lenders lend to British expatriates where the security is UK property and the exit is clearly evidenced. Residency matters far less than the asset and the repayment route.
Yes, subject to acceptable jurisdiction and source-of-funds evidence. Non-UK nationals and non-residents are financed regularly, typically at slightly lower LTV than UK residents.
Yes. BVI, Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man, UAE and other offshore structures are accepted by a good number of lenders, with personal guarantees from beneficial owners and full structure disclosure.
Typically up to 70% on UK residential security and around 65% on commercial, against up to 80% for UK residents (lender dependent). Additional security can lift the effective advance.
Less than on a term mortgage. Bridging is underwritten on the security and the exit rather than monthly affordability, so USD, AED, SAR, EUR and HKD earners are not disadvantaged — though the exit refinance will be income-assessed.
Certified or apostilled identity and address verification, source-of-wealth and source-of-funds evidence, structure charts for corporate borrowers, and in some jurisdictions a notarised power of attorney for signing.
Allow three to five weeks. The lending itself is quick; overseas identity certification, notarisation and cross-border legal steps add time compared with a UK-resident case.
No. Sanctioned jurisdictions are excluded and higher-risk countries face enhanced due diligence. We confirm jurisdiction acceptability before submitting so no time is wasted.
Yes, and it is common. A bridge secured on UK property can fund a purchase in Spain, Portugal, France or elsewhere, then be repaid by a local mortgage or a UK refinance.
Currency exchange
Earning overseas? Your deposit is exposed until it’s in sterling.
Expat buyers moving dollars, dirhams, riyals or euros into the UK can lose thousands to bank margins and rate moves. We introduce you to an FCA-authorised currency specialist who plans your transfer around exchange and completion.
Forward contracts to fix your sterling deposit before completion
Better-than-bank rates on large one-off and regular transfers
Flexible contact across time zones with a dedicated specialist
Clifton introduces clients to a specialist currency partner and does not hold, convert or transfer client funds.
Each page covers the structure, criteria, costs and typical timescales for one bridging use case — with real completed transactions.
UK bridging market, Q2 2026
Last updated · next update due November 2026
Average monthly interest rate
0.81%
Q1 2026: 0.82%
Average loan-to-value
55%
Q1 2026: 52%
Average completion time
46 days
Q1 2026: 53 days
Average term
12 months
Q1 2026: 12 months
Market averages across completed deals, summarised from Bridging Trends (compiled by MT Finance). Refreshed quarterly; not our panel pricing. Full market data.
