Recognise Bank

Recognise Bank

UK SME bank: deposits and lending

Overview

Recognise Bank is a UK bank focused on SMEs, blending digital banking with personal relationship management. It accepts FSCS-protected deposits from individuals and businesses and uses them to fund a portfolio of SME loans. Its lending includes commercial mortgages, professional buy-to-let, bridging finance, and working capital facilities for UK SMEs, commercial property owners, and professional practices, delivered via a digital-first platform with dedicated relationship managers. The bank aims to offer a straightforward, customer-centric experience by combining online convenience with relationship-led service to fill gaps left by larger incumbents.

About Recognise Bank

Simplify's Rating
Why Recognise Bank is rated
C+
Rated C on Competitive Edge
Rated B on Growth Potential
Rated C on Differentiation

Industries

Fintech

Financial Services

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

Late Stage VC

Total Funding

$96M

Headquarters

London, United Kingdom

Founded

2017

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • August 12, 2026 five-year fixed commercial mortgages widen product choice and retention.
  • July 2026 loan book topped £500 million and deposits exceeded £600 million.
  • The bank hired Julian Sawyer in 2026, strengthening fintech and scaling execution.

What critics are saying

  • Parasol V27 supplied the £5 million March 2026 injection, exposing capital dependence.
  • Commercial property lending and bridging finance face refinancing pressure as rates reset through 2027.
  • A funding squeeze or property losses would trap Recognise Bank below profitable scale.

What makes Recognise Bank unique

  • Recognise Bank pairs relationship-led SME lending with digital onboarding, unlike impersonal incumbents.
  • On 23 July 2026, it posted first profit, validating its reset strategy.
  • Its niche spans commercial mortgages, bridging, and professional buy-to-let for UK brokers.

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Funding

Total Funding

$96M

Above

Industry Average

Funded Over

4 Rounds

Late VC funding comparison data is currently unavailable. We're working to provide this information soon!
Late VC Funding Comparison
Coming Soon

Benefits

Health Insurance

Remote Work Options

Hybrid Work Options

Paid Vacation

Parental Leave

Performance Bonus

Training Programs

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

-1%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

-1%
IFA Magazine
Aug 12th, 2026
Recognise Bank expands commercial mortgage range with five-year fixed option.

Recognise Bank expands commercial mortgage range with five-year fixed option. August 12, 2026 Recognise Bank has expanded its Commercial Term range with the launch of a five-year fixed-rate option, giving customers greater certainty over their longer-term borrowing costs. The new product is available for commercial investment and owner-occupied properties, with loans from £250,000 to £3 million up to 70% LTV. The five-year product has been introduced alongside Recognise Bank's existing two-year fixed rate option. The launch follows a record July for Recognise Bank, which completed its highest monthly value of lending since the Bank was founded. "Having returned to the commercial mortgage market only three months ago, IFA Magazine has listened to brokers and their SME clients and by introducing a five-year fixed rate option IFA Magazine is offering a range of products that can support cashflow management and create certainty. The launch follows a record July for Recognise Bank, which has been its biggest completions month since the Bank was founded. Term and bridging commercial lending is important for its continued growth, and IFA Magazine will work closely with brokers to deliver practical solutions for their clients." Caroline Luxmore, Chief Commercial Officer at Recognise Bank Early repayment charges for the new five-year fixed rate are 5% in years one and two, 3% in years three and four, and 1% in year five. To learn more about Recognise Bank's commercial mortgages, visit: https://recognisebank.co.uk/commercial-mortgage/

Global Banking & Finance Review
Jul 23rd, 2026
Recognise Bank announces £8.9m post-tax profit.

Recognise Bank announces £8.9m post-tax profit. Posted on July 23, 2026 Recognise Bank, the SME property lending bank, has announced its latest annual results, reporting a post-tax profit of £8.9 million for the year ended 31 March 2026, following a £5.3 million loss in 2025. The Bank also grew its loan book by 51.1% over the year to £461.9 million and increased deposits by 18.8% to £575.5 million. Since the year end, its loan book has grown to more than £500 million and deposits have exceeded £600 million. Following the implementation of a new strategic direction in May 2025, the Bank has achieved profitability for the first time. Within the last year, it also relocated its London Head Office and opened a new Operations Centre in Milton Keynes to support the next phase of its growth. Its organisational structure was streamlined, as part of a wider transformation programme designed to simplify business operations and enhance customer service. A refresh of the Bank's technology platforms has also commenced, introducing new solutions which will deliver further customer service improvements and increased internal efficiencies in the current year. In addition, the Bank received a £5 million capital injection on 31 March 2026 from its largest shareholder, Parasol V27 Limited. The funding represents the second tranche of investment and will support the continued implementation of the Bank's strategy. Recognise Bank continues to expand its intermediary offering, providing flexible, relationship-led lending solutions designed to support brokers and their clients across a wide range of commercial property transactions. Steve Pateman, Chairman of Recognise Bank commented: "Last year I indicated the foundations were in place for Recognise Bank to become sustainably profitable and I am pleased to report that has been the case with in-month profitability achieved from May 2025. "As a result of the progress made, we have also been able to recognise a deferred tax asset so that we can report a full year profit after tax and restructuring costs of £8.9m compared with a loss after restructuring costs last year of £5.3m." Simon Bateman, Chief Executive Offer at Recognise Bank added: "The last year at Recognise Bank has been about stabilisation, resetting the business and putting in place the right foundations to support our planned growth ambitions that support our strategy and financial plan. "Our ambition was to achieve in month profitability by September 2025, supporting our plan to deliver full year profitability in 2027. I am pleased to share that we accelerated this trajectory and reached in-month profitability in May 2025, four months ahead of schedule. "For the first time in the Bank's history, we are reporting a profit after tax compared to a loss in the previous year. This is an outstanding result, particularly given the scale of transformation over the past year and the challenging macroeconomic environment in which the Bank is operating. "I am very proud of our achievements in the last year and could not be more excited about the future for Recognise Bank. The journey has only just begun and the opportunities ahead are huge. As we enter the next stage of our journey, with the support and passion from the whole team, we are focusing on the continuing growth of the business." To learn more about Recognise Bank's commercial property lending, visit: https://recognisebank.co.uk/

Yahoo Finance
Jul 23rd, 2026
Recognise Bank achieves full year profitability with $11.3M post-tax profit, loan book hits $635M

Recognise Bank has achieved full-year profitability for the first time, reporting a post-tax profit of £8.9 million for the year ended 31 March 2026, compared to a £5.3 million loss in 2025. The bank reached in-month profitability from May 2025, four months ahead of schedule. CEO Simon Bateman says the bank has been rebuilding its foundations to ensure sustainable profitability. The loan book grew 51.1% year-on-year to £461.9 million, whilst deposits rose 18.8% to £575.5 million. The bank received a £5 million capital injection from its largest shareholder, Parasol V27 Limited. Since year-end, the loan book has exceeded £500 million and deposits have surpassed £600 million. The bank has rebranded as "The Decisive Bank" and targets continued profit increases.

Bridging Loan Directory
Jul 16th, 2026
Recognise Bank appoints Julian Sawyer as a Non-Executive Director.

Recognise Bank appoints Julian Sawyer as a Non-Executive Director. Recognise Bank has appointed former Starling Bank Chief Operating Officer Julian Sawyer as a Non-Executive Director. Sawyer brings extensive banking and fintech experience to the Board, having previously held senior roles at Starling Bank and served as CEO of both Zodia Custody and Bitstamp. The appointment comes as Recognise Bank continues to expand its lending proposition and operational capability. The Bank recently announced its loan book had exceeded £500m, while customer deposits have grown beyond £600m. Julian Sawyer, Non-Executive Director at Recognise Bank, said: "I'm incredibly excited to be joining Simon and the board at Recognise Bank at such a pivotal time for the Bank. Recognise Bank is poised for its next phase of growth having grown by over 45% in the last 12 months. My experience in high growth companies will help to position Recognise Bank as the SME property lending Bank of choice. The recent brand launch "The Decisive Bank" is a strong example of the direction the bank is going in." Simon Bateman, CEO of Recognise Bank, added: "Bringing in someone of Julian's calibre shows how far Bridging Loan Directory has come as a Bank in such a relatively short space of time. Fintech plays such an important part of any banks operational and strategic roadmap and so Julian's detailed knowledge of this sector, will undoubtedly be key as Bridging Loan Directory build its capabilities for its borrowers, savers and brokers and continue to lead as 'The Decisive Bank'." Steve Pateman, Chairman of Recognise Bank, also added: "Julian's appointment provides an extra level of depth and experience to our Executive team and is a testament to Simon's unrelenting aim to drive the Bank's profitability and to deliver the best possible lending and savings products to SMEs and savers respectively." Recognise Bank continues to expand its intermediary proposition, providing flexible, relationship-led lending solutions designed to support brokers and their clients across a wide range of commercial property transactions.

MoneyAge
Apr 15th, 2026
News in brief - 15 april 2026.

News in brief - 15 april 2026. By Dan McGrath 15/04/2026 Absolute Financial Group has appointed Jaspreet Dhariwal as chief compliance officer. She brings more than 18 years of experience to the role and will play a role in the IFA's strategic growth plans, with a focus on overseeing its compliance framework, governance and risk management. Dhariwal joins from Verso, where she served as chief compliance and risk officer. She has previously held senior roles at firms including Vintage Wealth Management, The Oberon Group and Kingswood Group. Dhariwal will be responsible for Absolute's overall risk management and compliance framework and will lead and strengthen governance, risk and compliance practices across the business. Atom bank has reduced interest rates across its near prime mortgage range. All near prime products, for both purchase and remortgage purposes, have been reduced by 0.20% and the cuts apply with immediate effect, meaning that rates now start from 5.39% for those borrowing at up to 60% LTV. The update comes after Atom found that 93% of brokers had seen an increase in demand for near prime products during 2025, with 74% expecting further growth throughout 2026. Luke Watson has been appointed as director of intermediary sales and lending at Recognise Bank. He brings over two decades of experience across commercial real estate lending, underwriting and credit risk to the role, with a track record of building and leading high-performance teams. Prior to joining Recognise Bank, Watson held senior leadership roles at Shawbrook Bank and Amicus Commercial Mortgages, as well as real estate lending roles at Aldermore and Santander. In his new role, he will focus on strengthening intermediary relationships, enhancing the bank's lending proposition and delivering sustainable growth through high-quality credit.

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