LATEST PARTNER BLOGS:
The Mortgage Lender
Support BTL Clients Better
More2life
Unlock New Possibilities For Your Later Life Clients
Standard Life Home Finance
Walking In The Shoes Of Today’s RIO Customer
Lendinvest
Does More Homes On The Rental Market, Mean Opportunities For Landlords?
Skipton Building Society For Intermediaries
Lending Policy Changes
On Monday 27th November 2023, Skipton Building Society for Intermediaries made the following changes to their Lending Policy:
they will accept Special Guardian and Shared Lives Carer income as acceptable income, and will require 3 months evidence of income in both cases and in addition for Shared Life carers they will also require evidence of 1 years’ experience in that role and a copy of their current service user agreement.
For foster carers skipton will now only require 3 months evidence of income (previously 2 years), and will also require evidence of 1 years’ experience in that role.
Paymentshield
Christmas Game is coming
To round off what’s been another very eventful year, Paymentshield are spreading some holiday cheer with their annual festive game competition Paymentshield’s Merry Match. They’re giving away an incredible prize every weekday from Friday 1 December until Monday 18 December.
Each day you can head over to the games’ very own advent calendar, to see what prize is up for grabs. Click on the image and it will take you to the game to test your matching abilities and where you can be in with a chance of winning it!
WHAT’S THE GAME?
This year the game is all about creating the perfect match, just like how Paymentshield is your perfect GI match. Match three or more icons in a row and you win points. To be entered into the daily prize draw, you must either score more 12,000 points or reach level 3.
There are prizes from Amazon, Harrods, Fortnum and Mason, and Lego all up for grabs, so be sure to play every day!
Connect with colleagues to create your own leaderboard to add an extra dollop of festive competition.
They’ll be sending out emails on launch day and then each week to let you know what prizes are available, so don’t miss your chance to win big!
Buckinghamshire Building Society
Digital change in 2023
It’s been a busy year of change here at Buckinghamshire Building Society, with a huge focus on improving our digital presence and related systems.
An entire redesign of our intermediary website was the first order of business, adding a suite of affordability calculators covering residential, buy-to-let and expat buy-to-let options. An interactive criteria tool gives real-time access to every section of our lending policy, broken down into easy to navigate sections whilst the events calendar lets you know where you can meet our Key Account Managers face to face at industry events around the country.
To further improve our service, we employed additional colleagues, both in the business development team and the mortgage administration teams. We also redesigned the application process, streamlining it to save time and improve our application to offer timescales.
Following a full review of our lending policy in the second half of 2024, and to support your clients with missed payments and credit blips, we made a number of changes to our Credit Matrix.
Vitality
Critical Illness Cover needs more than just a name change
2023 marks the 40th anniversary of the launch of the first critical illness policy. However, the basic design of critical illness cover remains fundamentally unchanged, even though the world has changed beyond recognition during that time.
And whilst it’s positive to see the industry recently debating the future of critical illness insurance, it’s clear that to meet the evolving needs of consumers, traditional critical illness has needed a rethink.
Clydesdale Bank
It’s a yes for self-employed customers
Finding self-employed customers a mortgage can be tricky, but we’ve got a great policy to make it easy for you. That means you can help more of your customers find their dream home.
- For limited company owners, we take an average of the last 2 years’ net profit before tax plus director’s salary (latest year if lower).
- We can consider changes in setup – like growing from a sole trader to a limited company, as long as they have at least 3 years of figures.
- Plus, our underwriters assess all self-employed applications and can help make things happen.
Any Questions?
Our website has all the details and we’re here to chat things through. Get in touch with your BDM to see what we can do.
The Exeter
Do your clients know about the added benefits of their policy?
Did you know that of 2,000 people surveyed in our latest Health & Financial Fears research, 40% were unaware of value-added services that come with their policy? During a time when waiting times for NHS treatments and operations is the top health and wellbeing concern among UK workers, value-added services can really help your clients.
As well as the existing member benefits that come with their cover with The Exeter through HealthWise, your clients can now benefit from unlimited Remote GP appointments as well as one annual health MOT per year for policyholders.
Read our latest insight to find out more.
Your advice is invaluable when it comes to helping clients understand what’s available to them through their cover. And finding more ways to look after your client’s health and wellbeing is just one of the ways we can demonstrate that you and your clients matter more.
If you’d like to find out more about how The Exeter and Healthwise can support your clients, please book a briefing online or email sales@the-exeter.com.
You can also download our latest HealthWise brochure to share with your clients so they can see the value of value-added with HealthWise – which could be over £2,000 for health insurance policies!
Market Harborough Building Society
Responding to the growing need for mortgages with lower upfront costs
Did you know that of 2,000 people surveyed in our latest Health & Financial Fears research, 40% were unaware of value-added services that come with their policy? During a time when waiting times for NHS treatments and operations is the top health and wellbeing concern among UK workers, value-added services can really help your clients.
As well as the existing member benefits that come with their cover with The Exeter through HealthWise, your clients can now benefit from unlimited Remote GP appointments as well as one annual health MOT per year for policyholders.
Read our latest insight to find out more.
Your advice is invaluable when it comes to helping clients understand what’s available to them through their cover. And finding more ways to look after your client’s health and wellbeing is just one of the ways we can demonstrate that you and your clients matter more.
If you’d like to find out more about how The Exeter and Healthwise can support your clients, please book a briefing online or email sales@the-exeter.com.
You can also download our latest HealthWise brochure to share with your clients so they can see the value of value-added with HealthWise – which could be over £2,000 for health insurance policies!
Standard Life Home Finance
new Horizon plan launch
Standard Life Home Finance launched a new Horizon plan on Wednesday 29th November; Horizon 570, offering your clients higher LTVs with the same flexible market leading features that Horizon is known for.
You can explore the full Horizon range or simply login to their connect portal to create a KFI.
LOUGHBOROUGH BUILDING SOCIETY
CRITERIA CHANGES AROUND benefit income
Following feedback from our panel members we are pleased to announce a positive policy change around benefit income, we will now be accepting the following benefit income. This is available across all our product range, and we can consider up to 95%.
** In all circumstances benefit income must not exceed more than 50% of total income **
(example, applicant earning £11,000.00 earned income and £10,000.00 benefit income acceptable. Applicant earning £9,000.00 earned income and £10,000.00 in benefit income, we would only use £9,000.00 of the benefit income)
The following table list the benefit and the amount acceptable for income purposes and the amount will be verified via the client bank statements or letter from the DWP.
| Benefit | % Assessable |
| Universal Credit (UC) | 100 |
| Child Benefit | 100 |
| Working Tax Credit (WTC) | 50 |
| Child Tax Credit (CTC) | 50 |
| Personal independence Payment (PIP) | 50 |
| Disability Living Allowance (DLA) | 50 |
| Attendance Allowance (AA) | 100 |
| Constant Attendance Allowance (CAA) | 100 |
| Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) | 100 |
| Employment & Support Allowance (ESA) | 50 |
| Pension Credit (PC) | 100 |
| Adult Disability Payment (ADP) | 50 |
| Carers Allowance (CA) | 100 |
Barclays
The advent daily quiz competition begins today
Last year’s Advent Countdown Competition was such a success that we’re back for a third year to give away a number of goodies in a bid to help brighten up your run-up to Christmas and get you in the festive spirit. You deserve it.
And this all begins today, Friday 1st December.
Every working day in December before Christmas will see a question hit your inbox which tests you on your knowledge of Barclays products, processes and policy. All correct responses will be pooled together and then 10 winners will be selected from eligible entrants via a verifiably random computer process.
Each winner will receive a box of luxury chocolates from Harry Specter.
Harry Specter is an award-winning chocolatier who supports positive social change though the creation of employment opportunities for people with autism and involving them in every aspect of the business – from making and packaging the products to administration, design and photography.
So, keep your eye out for our email as this will include the first question and confirm all the details in full.
