Who we are
Growing Together
Backing powerful nations and regions
Our support for the North of England

Our support for the North of England

At NatWest Group, we’re proud to support customers, communities, and businesses across the North of England through our NatWest brand and our dedicated North Board.

Key highlights of NatWest Group’s support in the North:

Employing 8,000 colleagues across the North of England

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Supporting innovators through 4 dedicated Accelerator hubs

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Backing over 220k businesses across the North

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Supporting 1 in 4 people and families across the North

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Latest news and insights

£70m for social housing

Karbon Homes to deliver 161 homes across the North East and Yorkshire.

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Health tech platform Doc Abode secures funding

Leeds-based firm benefits from IP lending.

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Investing across the North

Refurbished Sheffield City Centre branch opens.

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Growing Together – our plan to support UK growth

Our Growing Together plan is a long-term, connected programme underpinned by five focus areas, where we deliver impact today and can do even more in the future.

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Build for the future

We’re a leading lender to the infrastructure and housing sectors that the UK needs for a stronger, more connected economy.

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Support the innovators

We’re committed to playing our part in making the UK a place that fully embraces innovation, by supporting the creation and growth of dynamic new businesses and policies that back entrepreneurship.

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Help people and families save and invest

NatWest is a partner to 20 million customers, helping people save and invest for their futures and build financial confidence across all nations and regions of the UK.

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Two people wearing safety gear stand in a manufacturing facility, discussing operations. One person is wearing a hard hat and business attire, while the other is dressed in a red work jacket. Industrial machinery, piping, and production equipment fill the background.

Champion mid-sized businesses

As the number one bank for mid-sized businesses, we’re championing their vital role in the economy and the policies they need to play an even more important role in UK growth.

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Back powerful nations and regions

Through our UK-wide network, NatWest Group is a driver of stronger regional economies and the trusted partner for the people building those economies.

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Supporting innovators in the North

Jeanine Guerdia, co-founder of Leeds-based Mood Films, shares her journey with the NatWest Accelerator community, as she grows and scales her business.

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Helping people and families save and invest

Thrive Live saw young people from across the North East come together at an interactive workshop aimed at enhancing the money confidence, future skills and self-belief of 14-16 year olds.

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Championing mid-sized business

Watch to hear more from our CEO, Paul Thwaite, on how we’re backing mid-market businesses, like Lancashire-based GA Pet Foods.

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Connecting people and places

Hear from John Irving, CEO of Liverpool John Lennon Airport, on how we’re supporting the airport’s expansion plans and how the airport acts as a catalyst for growth in the region.

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Backing mid-sized businesses across the North

We’re championing mid-sized businesses because they’re the often-overlooked growth engines of our economy. They create jobs, drive innovation, strengthen supply chains and support local communities across the UK. Rita Collins, our Mid-Market Champion for the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, talks about the important role our Champions have in representing mid-market voices across the UK.

Our North Board

Our North of England Board is one of seven across the UK that work to deliver the bank’s strategy at a local level across the UK’s nations and regions. The boards use local knowledge and connections so we can listen to and be led by our customers’ needs, helping to support the diverse and distinct economies of the UK.

Malcolm Buchanan

Chair

Clive Brooks

Board Engagement Manager

Lucy Wharton

Nicky Oregan

Steve Sankson

Joanne Barry

Julia Spencer

Emily Smithies

Corinna Sissons

Sean Bowman

Rita Collins

Bernie Cornish

Chris Dale

£20bn to power northern growth

We’re committing £20bn of funding over the next decade to drive economic growth across the North of England, supporting the country’s ambitions to build stronger, more productive regional economies.

The funding will support investment in areas that underpin regional growth and resilience, including energy, transport, infrastructure, regeneration and housing, and support the region's innovators to scale here and stay here.

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Our support in the North of England: FAQs

How does NatWest Group support people and families in the North of England?

Through our NatWest brand, we support personal banking customers through a network of branches, mobile banking services, and banking hubs across the region.
Coutts Wealth teams are also based in Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, and Newcastle, offering tailored financial support.
Our Financial Foundations programme - established in the North - provides free, impartial financial wellbeing workshops to help individuals manage budgeting, debt, savings, pensions, and fraud prevention.

What is the Financial Foundations programme and how does it help?

Financial Foundations is a free financial education initiative delivered by accredited NatWest Group colleagues, aimed at helping people, organisations and community groups to build money skills and confidence.
The workshops cover budgeting, managing your credit scores, debt management, importance of savings/pensions and fraud prevention.
To date in the North, we’ve delivered sessions to more than 7,000 people to date in 2026.

How does NatWest support businesses in the North of England?

NatWest supports businesses of all sizes - from start-ups to multinationals - across sectors like manufacturing, tech, creative services, tourism, real estate, and agriculture. We provide:

Entrepreneurial Accelerators in Manchester, Leeds, York and Newcastle.
Dedicated relationship managers across the region.
Dedicated Venture Bank presence in the North.
Tailored support for local business needs, recognising that no two businesses are the same.
Innovative lending solutions, including IP-loans.

What role does the North Regional Board play in supporting local economies?

The North Board members live and work in the same streets, towns and communities as our customers in the North. The Board ensures NatWest’s strategy is delivered locally in the North by:

Listening to customers and partner organisations.
Understanding the unique needs of each community.
Using the bank’s scale and networks to connect people and grow local business ecosystems.
Acting as a trusted partner to help customers achieve their goals - whether that’s growing a business, buying a home, or investing for the future.

What region does NatWest’s North Regional Board cover?

The North Regional Board spans a broad and diverse area - from the Scottish border to North Wales, Cheshire, North Derbyshire, and North Lincolnshire.
It includes major cities like Manchester, Leeds, and Bradford, as well as rural areas such as Cumbria, Northumberland, and the Peak District.

How does NatWest contribute to economic growth in the North of England?

NatWest Group is a major private sector employer in the North of England, with c.8,000 colleagues working in the region. We have offices across the region including Manchester (where we have our biggest office in England outside of London), Newcastle and Leeds.

By supporting individuals, businesses, and communities, we help drive regional economic progress. Through our local presence, deep relationships, and convening power we aim to:

Strengthen business networks.
Improve financial wellbeing.
Foster inclusive growth across urban and rural areas.

What is NatWest’s £20bn funding commitment to the North?

NatWest Group has announced a £20 billion funding commitment over the next ten years to drive economic growth across the North of England, supporting the UK’s ambitions to build stronger, more productive regional economies.

The commitment, announced by NatWest Group’s CEO Paul Thwaite at the Great North Investment Summit, which has been convened in collaboration with the northern mayors and sponsored by NatWest, underlines the bank’s role as a long-term partner to local and regional governments, businesses and investors, and forms part of the bank’s Growing Together plan to drive UK economic growth by backing powerful regions.

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