Lender Profile
United Trust Bank (UTB) Secured Loans
The only fully-licensed UK bank on our secured loan panel — competitive rates for prime borrowers with the counterparty backing of a regulated challenger bank.
About United Trust Bank (UTB)
United Trust Bank (UTB) is a UK challenger bank with a full UK banking licence, dual-regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority. That distinction matters: of the ten specialist lenders on the Charles Frank Finance panel, UTB is the only one that is a licensed bank rather than a specialist finance company or non-bank lender. Depositors' funds — not securitisation markets or institutional investor pools — fund the loan book, which structurally affects both pricing and how UTB approaches risk.
UTB has been an established UK banking institution since 1955, with lending operations across asset finance, bridging finance, development finance, and second charge mortgages. Their second charge division is positioned for prime borrowers — clean credit, good affordability, and standard residential property. Rates on their 5-year fixed products for prime cases at sub-65% LTV typically start around 6.50% APR, among the more competitive on our panel and sitting alongside Selina Finance as the natural first placement for clean prime cases.
The bank-backed structure gives UTB two specific advantages. First, funding cost stability — bank deposits behave differently to institutional funding lines, so UTB's pricing can be more consistent through rate cycles. Second, larger loan appetite by referral — bank capital adequacy structures let UTB comfortably consider cases materially above the £500,000 standard maximum on referral, whereas non-bank specialists typically apply harder caps.
Underwriting is human-reviewed and benefits from the bank's relationship-driven approach — this is a lender that has been dealing with brokers and clients for decades, with senior underwriters accessible for pre-submission conversations on larger or more complex cases. Decisions in principle typically issue within 24-48 hours; most cases complete in 2-4 weeks. UTB do not lend on adverse credit cases — that appetite sits with Pepper, Norton, Evolution, and Step One on our panel.
Product range: Second charge mortgages from a fully-licensed UK challenger bank. 2-year and 5-year fixed rates with variable revert. Clean credit focus. £15,000 to £500,000 standard (higher by referral). Bank-backed counterparty distinguishes UTB structurally from every other panel lender.
Best for
- Clean credit borrowers wanting competitive prime rates from a bank-backed lender
- Larger loans up to £500,000 — capital raising, large debt consolidation, property purchases
- Cases above £500,000 that need a bank counterparty for referral consideration
- 5-year fixes where rate stability and a regulated bank counterparty both matter
- Borrowers who explicitly want an FCA + PRA regulated bank over a specialist lender
- Complex clean-credit cases where an accessible senior underwriter matters
- Depositor-conscious borrowers who value understanding how their loan is funded
Key facts
- Established
- 1955 — UK challenger bank
- Parent Company
- United Trust Bank Limited (FCA FRN 204463, dual-regulated by FCA + PRA)
- Min Loan
- £15,000
- Max Loan
- £500,000 standard (higher amounts by referral, uncommon amongst non-bank specialists)
- Max Term
- 30 years
- Max Ltv
- 75% combined (prime products); higher LTV by case-by-case referral
- Fee
- £995–£1,495 arrangement fee, tiered by loan size
- Credit Tier
- Clean credit only — no adverse credit appetite
- Rate Structure
- 2-year and 5-year fixed, then variable revert. From ~6.50% APR (5yr fix, prime, sub-65% LTV).
- Completion
- Typically 2–4 weeks; DIP within 24-48 hours
- Property Eligibility
- Standard UK residential property in the applicant's name with a current first charge mortgage. Combined LTV capped at 75% on prime products. Higher LTV, non-standard construction, or unusual cases reviewed by referral only. A physical property valuation is typically required.
Pros
- +The only full UK banking licence on our panel — dual-regulated by FCA + PRA
- +Depositor-funded lending model — structural counterparty stability
- +Competitive 5-year fixed rates for prime cases (from ~6.50% APR sub-65% LTV)
- +High maximum loan size — £500,000 standard with higher by referral (bank capital adequacy)
- +Strong on capital raising and large consolidation cases
- +Long institutional track record (est 1955) — established broker relationships and predictable process
- +Accessible senior underwriters for pre-submission conversations on complex prime cases
Cons
- −Clean credit only — no adverse credit appetite (redirect to Pepper, Norton, Evolution or Step One)
- −75% combined LTV cap on prime products — Selina and Pepper offer higher LTVs on prime
- −Minimum loan £15,000 — not suitable for smaller borrowing needs (Selina and Pepper start at £5,000)
- −Standard maximum £500,000 — larger cases require referral rather than sitting within standard criteria
United Trust Bank (UTB) FAQs
What rates does United Trust Bank offer on secured loans?
United Trust Bank secured loan rates typically start from around 6.50% APR for a 5-year fix on clean credit at sub-65% LTV — among the more competitive on our panel for prime cases and structurally supported by UTB's bank funding base. Rates progress with LTV up to 75% combined. UTB does not lend on adverse credit cases. Rates are subject to change — your adviser will confirm current pricing before submission.
What is a representative example for a United Trust Bank secured loan?
Representative example for a £50,000 secured loan over 120 months at 6.50% APR fixed for 5 years (7.30% variable thereafter): monthly repayment £568.18, total loan repayments £68,181.60, UTB arrangement fee £1,295, Charles Frank Finance broker fee £2,495. Total amount payable £71,971.60. Total charge for credit (interest plus fees) £21,971.60. Representative APRC 7.6%. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage or any other debt secured on it.
What property eligibility does United Trust Bank require?
Standard UK residential property in the applicant's name with a current first charge mortgage and clean credit conduct. Combined LTV capped at 75% on prime products. Non-standard construction, ex-local authority, or higher LTV cases reviewed by referral only. A physical property valuation is typically required. Ex-local authority flats and unusual construction are considered on a referred basis rather than standard criteria.
Is United Trust Bank a real bank?
Yes — United Trust Bank is a full UK challenger bank, established in 1955 and authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the FCA (FRN 204463). This dual-regulation distinguishes UTB from every other lender on the Charles Frank Finance secured loan panel: the other nine lenders are specialist finance companies rather than licensed banks. UTB's lending is depositor-funded, which structurally affects counterparty risk and funding cost stability.
How does United Trust Bank compare to Selina Finance for secured loans?
Selina and UTB both target prime clean-credit cases with competitive 5-year fixes. Selina wins on rate at sub-65% LTV — Selina's 5-year fix from 6.34% initial rate (7.0% APRC) undercuts UTB's ~6.50% for the smallest, cleanest cases. UTB wins on institutional counterparty and larger loan appetite — a full UK bank licence, deposit-funded lending, and referral capacity above £500,000 that Selina cannot match structurally. For sub-£500,000 sub-65% LTV clean prime cases, Selina. For larger loans, referral cases, or borrowers who explicitly value bank counterparty backing, UTB.
Can I borrow more than £500,000 from United Trust Bank?
Yes, by referral. UTB's standard product criteria max out at £500,000, but the bank's capital adequacy structure lets them consider larger cases on a referred basis — typically for high-value residential property, strong-affordability borrowers, or specific capital-raising use cases. This referral appetite is uncommon amongst non-bank specialists on our panel. Your adviser will submit the case profile to UTB before formal application to confirm referral appetite.
Does United Trust Bank accept adverse credit?
No — UTB is a clean-credit-only lender. CCJs, defaults, missed payments, IVAs, and discharged bankruptcy are all outside UTB's appetite. For adverse credit cases on our panel, the natural placements are Pepper Money (minor-to-moderate adverse), Norton Finance (heritage brand, discharged bankruptcy considered), Evolution Money (heavy adverse at higher LTV), or Step One Finance (specialist adverse credit).
Apply for a United Trust Bank secured loan
We'll match your case against United Trust Bank's criteria first — and the rest of our panel — to find the cheapest fit.