Santander intends to be committed to the broker market and lean on its broker pledges as the bank navigates the 2026 market.
In this article, Helen Harrison, head of intermediary distribution at Santander UK, shares how the lender plans to stay close to intermediary partners in the evolving market.
Anyone who has watched BBC’s The Traitors (I was hooked, personally) knows that the game hinges on one thing: commitment. Those who hedge, play both sides, or quietly keep their options open are eventually found out.
Trust, once lost, is almost impossible to recover.
That idea framed the discussion I had with around 70 mortgage brokers, when Santander welcomed them to our head office in Unity Place, Milton Keynes, on Tuesday 27 January, for a discussion on the 2026 market. Brokers used the event to tell us their concerns and how they increasingly feel like they’re in a market where reviewing distribution strategies or quietly rebalancing priorities is becoming the norm.
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They want to know who is truly committed to the channel – and who is merely passing through.
My message was clear and unapologetic. Santander is 100% committed to the broker market. Brokers are not an ‘option’ for us – they are fundamental to how we serve customers.
That commitment is embedded in our broker pledges, which exist to provide certainty, clarity and confidence in how we work with intermediaries.
- No dual pricing
- Minimum 24 hours’ notice of product withdrawals
- Continued improvements to product transfers for a further 12 months
- Access to underwriters whenever brokers need it
Those pledges are practical commitments around transparency, consistency, access to decision-makers and listening to broker feedback – even when that feedback is challenging. They reflect our belief that long-term success in this market comes from partnership, not opportunism.
A mutual understanding
The economic outlook discussions underlined just how vital that collaboration will be as we approach 2026. While there are reasons for cautious optimism, customers remain anxious, and cases are increasingly complex.
Brokers sit at the centre of those conversations, balancing affordability, future-proofing and reassurance. As lenders, our responsibility is to ensure our criteria, propositions and processes support that advice-led role – not undermine it.
Conversations around underwriting and fraud were equally telling. Protecting customers and the integrity of the market is non-negotiable, but so is efficiency and certainty. Brokers were refreshingly candid about where friction still exists. That honesty is invaluable, because it allows us to challenge ourselves and ensure controls are proportionate, clear and consistently applied.
What stood out most was the trust in the room.
Brokers were open about the pressures they face, and we were equally transparent about the realities lenders operate within. That mutual understanding doesn’t happen by accident – it comes from showing up, listening and backing words with action.
As we look ahead to 2026, commitment will be a defining differentiator. No traitors. No mixed signals. Just a lender firmly and openly on the side of brokers.
