Bridging — Banks & Lenders
Most high-street banks don't offer bridging loans. Here are the specialist banks and lenders that do, what each is known for, and how to choose between them.
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Last updated Reviewed by our Clifton International finance team.
In short
UK bridging loans are mainly offered by specialist banks — including Allica Bank, Hampshire Trust Bank, Recognise Bank, Shawbrook Bank and United Trust Bank — and by specialist lenders such as Precise Mortgages (OSB Group), Together, West One Loans and Glenhawk. Most high-street banks do not offer bridging as a standard product.
At a glance
Figures reviewed:
Indicative figures for guidance only, correct as at July 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.
Last reviewed . Read the full Key facts methodology, or speak to our team for a quote based on your circumstances.
At a glance
The type of lender matters more than the brand name.
| Specialist bank | Specialist lender | Private credit fund | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indicative rates | From c. 0.70% pm | From c. 0.75% pm | From c. 0.65% pm |
| Typical speed | 3 – 8 weeks | 2 – 6 weeks | 2 – 8 weeks |
| Loan size | £50k – £35m | £26k – £30m | £300k – £75m+ |
| Best for | Clean cases, strong exit | Tight deadlines, refurb, complex borrowers | Large or structured deals |
| Regulated lending | Some (e.g. United Trust Bank) | Some (e.g. Together, West One) | Rarely |
Swipe the table sideways to see all columns.
Indicative figures only. Actual terms depend on borrower profile, asset and lender criteria.
The lenders, named
If you search for a bridging loan at your own high-street bank, you will usually find it doesn't offer one. Bridging is a specialist product, and most of it in the UK is written by three types of lender: specialist banks that fund from savings deposits, specialist lenders (some owned by banks), and private credit funds for larger or more complex cases.
These are UK-authorised banks that focus on property lending. They tend to price keenly on clean cases with a clear exit, but their credit process can take longer — plan on 3 to 8 weeks.
| Lender | Type | Max LTV | Loan size | Indicative rate | Typical speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allica Bank | Specialist bank | Up to 70% | £150k – £10m | From c. 0.85% pm | 4 – 8 weeks |
| Hampshire Trust Bank | Specialist bank | Up to 75% | £100k – £35m | From 0.70% pm | 3 – 6 weeks |
| Recognise Bank | Specialist bank | Up to 75% | £250k – £7.5m | From 0.70% pm | 4 – 6 weeks |
| Shawbrook Bank | Specialist bank | Up to 75% (90% refurb) | £50k – £2.5m+ | From 0.74% pm | 3 – 6 weeks |
| United Trust Bank | Specialist bank (regulated) | Up to 70% | £125k – £15m | From c. 0.75% pm | 4 – 6 weeks |
| Precise Mortgages (OSB Group) | Bank-owned lender | Up to 75% | From £50k | From c. 0.79% pm | 3 – 6 weeks |
Non-bank lenders often move faster and accept cases a bank would decline — heavier refurbishment, unusual property, complex ownership or overseas borrowers. Private credit funds cover the large end of the market, from around £1m to £75m.
| Lender | Type | Max LTV | Loan size | Indicative rate | Typical speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Together | Specialist lender | Up to 75% | £26k – £5m+ | From c. 0.85% pm | 3 – 6 weeks |
| Funding 365 | Specialist lender | Up to 85% | £100k – £10m | From c. 0.79% pm | 2 – 4 weeks |
| West One Loans | Specialist lender (regulated) | Up to 75% | £50k – £30m | From c. 0.75% pm | 3 – 6 weeks |
| Glenhawk | Specialist lender (regulated) | Up to 70% | £100k – £5m | From c. 0.79% pm | 3 – 5 weeks |
| Maslow Capital | Private credit fund | Up to 75% | £300k – £75m | From 0.65% pm | 3 – 6 weeks |
| Octopus Real Estate | Private credit fund | Up to 70% | From £1m | From 0.85% pm | From 2 weeks |
| Hilco Real Estate Finance | Private credit fund | Up to 80% | £2m minimum | From 0.70% pm | 4 – 8 weeks |
Indicative market positioning from lenders on our panel as at Q3 2026. Not a quote, offer or recommendation; terms depend on the property, borrower and exit, and lenders change criteria without notice.
Choose on the case, not the brand. A bank suits a straightforward purchase with plenty of time and a strong exit. A specialist lender suits a tight deadline such as an auction, a property needing work, or a borrower whose income or residency a bank finds hard to assess. If the property is, or will be, your home, only lenders with regulated permissions can help — see regulated vs unregulated bridging.
To compare the lenders side by side against your scenario, use the UK bridging lender comparison tool, and work out the full cost with the bridging loan calculator.
Why clients choose us
Your case is matched against specialist banks, lenders and funds at once.
Access to lenders that don't accept direct applications.
Interest, arrangement, exit, valuation and legal fees laid out before you commit.
Regulated and unregulated cases placed with lenders holding the right permissions.
Borrower eligibility
Typical lending criteria
Indicative only. Actual terms depend on borrower profile, asset and lender criteria.
Recent transactions
Published transactions from our own case study library — select any to read the full brief.
Leeds · Bridging
£1.3m · 65% LTV · 12-month regulated bridge
£1.3m regulated bridge to help a Leeds family secure a significantly larger home before selling their existing property — funded in under 3 weeks.
Malaga · Bridging
£230k · c.25% LTV · 36 days to completion
A regulated bridging loan raised against an unencumbered Edinburgh home to secure a £230k apartment in Malaga, Spain — completed in 36 days.
Oxfordshire · Bridging
£1.2m · 60% LTV · chain-break bridge
£1.2m chain-break bridge that saved a rural Oxfordshire purchase after the buyers' onward sale collapsed at the eleventh hour.
Frequently asked
Bridging in the UK is mainly written by specialist banks and specialist lenders rather than high-street banks. Specialist banks active in bridging include Allica Bank, Hampshire Trust Bank, Recognise Bank, Shawbrook Bank and United Trust Bank. Precise Mortgages (part of OSB Group) and Together are major specialist lenders, alongside funds such as Maslow Capital, Octopus Real Estate and Hilco Real Estate Finance.
Generally not as a standard product for the public. Most high-street banks focus on term mortgages; some may offer short-term facilities to existing private-banking or business clients case by case. Most UK bridging is written by specialist banks and non-bank lenders.
There is no single best bank — the right lender depends on whether the loan is regulated, the property type, loan size, LTV, timescale and exit. A bank lender can be cheaper on a clean case, while a specialist lender can be faster or more flexible on a complex one.
Sometimes. Specialist banks fund from deposits and can price competitively — indicative rates on our panel start around 0.70% per month — but their credit process is often slower. Pricing is driven mainly by LTV, asset quality and the strength of the exit.
Specialist banks on our panel typically complete in 3 to 8 weeks depending on valuation and legal work. Non-bank lenders can sometimes complete in around 2 weeks on straightforward, well-prepared cases.
Many bridging lenders, including several specialist banks, only accept cases through intermediaries. Going through a broker also lets the case be matched against several lenders at once instead of one.
On our panel, lenders writing regulated bridging (secured on a home you or your family will live in) include Glenhawk, Masthaven, Precise Mortgages, Together, United Trust Bank and West One Loans.
Compare the full cost, not the headline monthly rate: interest, arrangement fee, exit fee, valuation, legal costs and whether interest is rolled up or retained. Then check the lender's speed and its view of your exit.
UK bridging finance by scenario
Each page covers the structure, criteria, costs and typical timescales for one bridging use case — with real completed transactions.
Calculate interest, arrangement and exit fees, valuation and legals — with a fully worked £510,000 example.
View pageRegulated and unregulated lender panels compared — and why bridging is placed through a specialist, not shopped direct.
View pageFacilities structured for the 28-day auction completion window, with pre-auction agreements in principle.
View pageComplete on your onward purchase when a buyer withdraws or the chain collapses.
View pageRefinance a completed scheme onto cheaper short-term debt while units sell.
View pageWhich regime applies to your case, and what changes in criteria, cost and process.
View pageRaise capital behind an existing mortgage without disturbing the first charge.
View pageUK-secured short-term finance for British expatriates, foreign nationals and offshore SPVs.
View pagePurchase-plus-works and heavy refurbishment finance with staged drawdowns.
View pageRelated UK services
Residential, buy-to-let and high-value mortgages for UK and international clients.
Learn moreFast short-term funding for auctions, chain-breaks, refurbishments and exits.
Learn moreSenior debt and stretched-senior facilities for residential and mixed-use schemes.
Learn moreInvestment and owner-occupier funding for offices, hospitality, retail and logistics.
Learn moreImproved terms, capital raising and exit refinance for maturing UK facilities.
Learn moreReady to explore your options?
Tell us about the property, timescale and exit. A specialist will come back within one working day with the lenders most likely to say yes.