Short-term finance secured behind an existing mortgage — keep a low fixed rate and avoid early repayment charges while releasing equity for a deposit, works or liquidity.
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In short
How does second-charge bridging work in the UK?
A second-charge bridge sits behind your existing mortgage on the same property, usually up to 70–75% combined loan-to-value at around 0.65%–1.10% per month. The first-charge lender keeps priority and must consent, so you release capital without redeeming a low fixed rate or paying an early repayment charge.
Available amount is the combined LTV ceiling less your outstanding mortgage.
First-charge consent is required and usually sets the timetable.
Interest can be retained or rolled, so there is no second monthly payment.
Exit is a sale, a full refinance of both charges, or a defined liquidity event.
At a glance
Key facts
Figures reviewed:
Rates
From 0.65% per month
Combined LTV
Up to 75%
Loan size
£50k – £10m+
Term
3 – 24 months
Interest
Rolled / retained / serviced
Speed
2 – 4 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
Second-charge bridging or refinancing the first charge?
A second charge sits behind your existing mortgage so you keep a good first-charge rate; a full refinance can be cheaper overall but loses that rate and takes longer.
Feature
Second-charge bridge
Refinance the first charge
Existing mortgage
Untouched — rate preserved
Redeemed and replaced
Early repayment charges
Avoided
Often payable on the existing loan
Pricing
0.75% – 1.25% per month
Cheaper per month, longer to arrange
Combined LTV
Up to 70% – 75% including the first charge
Up to 75% – 80%
First lender consent
Required for the charge
Not applicable
Speed
1 – 3 weeks
6 – 12 weeks
Term
3 – 24 months
5 – 35 years
Swipe the table sideways to see all columns.
Sizing is on combined loan-to-value: the first-charge balance plus the new facility against open-market value.
No need to redeem a cheap first mortgage or trigger an early repayment charge.
Fast deposit funding
Release equity to put down on another purchase before your existing asset sells.
Works and refurbishment
Fund a refurbishment programme behind an existing term loan, repaid on refinance or sale.
Business and tax liabilities
Meet a time-critical liability using property equity rather than disturbing trading facilities.
Residential and commercial
Second charges on main residences, buy-to-lets, HMOs, commercial and semi-commercial assets.
Consent management
We handle the first-charge consent process, the usual cause of delay in these cases.
Borrower eligibility
Who we can help
Homeowners with substantial equity and a low-rate first mortgage
Landlords and portfolio investors
Business owners needing short-term liquidity
SPVs, LLPs and corporate borrowers
Typical lending criteria
Indicative parameters
Rates
From 0.65% per month
Combined LTV
Up to 75%
Loan size
£50k – £10m+
Term
3 – 24 months
Interest
Rolled / retained / serviced
Speed
2 – 4 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.
A second-charge bridge sits behind an existing mortgage on the same property. The first-charge lender keeps priority; the bridging lender takes a subordinate charge and is repaid after it on any sale.
Because the first charge often carries a low fixed rate or an early repayment charge that makes refinancing expensive. A second charge raises capital while leaving that facility untouched.
Lenders look at combined loan-to-value, usually up to 70–75% including the first-charge balance. The available amount is that ceiling less the outstanding first mortgage.
Yes — the first-charge lender must give consent to a subsequent charge. Obtaining that consent is usually the single biggest driver of the timetable, and some lenders are considerably slower than others.
Generally yes. The subordinate position carries more risk, so pricing typically starts a little higher than an equivalent first-charge bridge and lenders are more demanding on exit evidence.
Raising a deposit for another purchase, funding refurbishment works, settling a tax or business liability, buying out a co-owner, or covering a short-term liquidity gap ahead of a sale or refinance.
Yes. Second charges are common on investment and commercial assets, where the loan is unregulated and assessed on the asset, the rental position and the exit.
A sale of the security property, a full refinance that redeems both charges, sale of another asset, or a defined liquidity event with documentary evidence.
UK bridging finance by scenario
Bridging loans for every UK scenario.
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.
