Recognise Bank hits £500m mark on back of SME lending surge

Recognise Bank has passed £500m in lending, with its loan book growing by more than 45% over the past 12 months as demand for its SME lending products continues to build. Deposits have also exceeded £600m, reflecting the bank's expansion on both sides of the balance sheet.

The bank provides residential and commercial bridging finance alongside commercial mortgages, focusing on small and medium-sized businesses and property professionals across the UK. Since its launch, it has supported more than 350 borrowers, and recently opened a new operations centre in Milton Keynes as part of its ongoing growth.

Simon Bateman, chief executive at Recognise Bank (pictured), said: "Hitting such a significant lending milestone as a £500m loan book charts yet another stage of our growth journey, as we seek to support more and more savers and SME borrowers by delivering certainty and services that customers can trust time and time again.

"Our lending pipeline has never been healthier, which is a testament to the relationships our team has built with brokers and partners, and we look forward to growing the Bank further and providing savings and lending products that meet more and more customers' needs."

The milestone follows sustained demand for the bank's relationship-led approach to SME lending, which positions it as a hands-on alternative to mainstream lenders for businesses requiring more personalised service. With the Milton Keynes centre now operational and broker relationships deepening, the bank says it is well placed to extend its reach further.