NatWest review

Updated September 28, 2026 · BorrowCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026

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Our verdict

NatWest suits borrowers who want a single bank for both mortgages and personal lending, and value the same-day funding and soft credit check. The trade-off is price on the borrowing side: the mortgage initial rate sits at 4.98% with a product fee of £995, while unsecured loans run at 7.2%.

Key facts

Best for
Borrowers who want a mortgage and personal loans under one regulated UK bank.
Initial rate
4.98% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Fixed period
5 years (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Maximum loan to value
95% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Product fee
£995 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Purpose
Purchase, Remortgage, First-time-buyer (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Lender type
Direct lender (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Legal entity
National Westminster Bank Plc (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Headquarters
United Kingdom (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Support channels
Phone, Chat, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Official website
natwest.com

Loans

APR
7.2% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Loan amount
£1,000 to £50,000 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Term
12 to 120 months (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Credit check
Soft prequal (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Funding time
Same day if you apply and are approved before 5:45pm, Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Representative example
Representative 7.2% APR, available on loans between £7,500 and £19,950 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Lender type
Direct lender (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Free early repayment
No (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Eligibility
18 or over and a UK resident; not declared bankrupt in the last 6 years; not applied for a loan in the last 28 days (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Loan types
Personal, Debt-consolidation, Car (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Use cases
Home-improvement (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Legal entity
National Westminster Bank Plc (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Headquarters
United Kingdom (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Support channels
Phone, Chat, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Features
Same-day funding

Apps and profiles

Get the app
App Store
Elsewhere
WikidataWikipediaXLinkedInfacebook.com

Pros and cons

Pros

  • One lender covers mortgages, personal, debt consolidation and car loans (personal, debt consolidation and car) plus home improvement (home improvement)
  • Unsecured loans at 7.2% with same-day funding (same day funding)
  • A soft prequalification credit check (soft prequal) rather than a hard check up front
  • Support runs on phone, chat and help centre

Cons

  • Free early repayment: no, which matters for anyone who may settle the loan early
  • The mortgage product fee adds £995 on top of an initial rate of 4.98%
  • The fixed mortgage period of 5 is shorter than the 10 most listed lenders offer
NatWest

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Scored 8.9 / 10 by BorrowCue.

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Who it suits

  • Existing NatWest customers wanting personal or debt consolidation loans alongside a mortgage
  • First-time buyers using the first-time-buyer route up to 95%
  • UK residents needing a soft prequalification check before a full application (soft prequal)

Who should look elsewhere

  • Anyone wanting to repay early without charge, as free early repayment is no here
  • Renters or buyers planning to repay in the long term, since the fixed period is 5 against a 10 norm
  • Borrowers chasing a low headline mortgage rate, since 4.98% sits above the 4.49% listed median and Prestalo starts at 2.36%

How it compares on our data

On our lists NatWest sits at 159 of 297 for initial rate and 148 of 259 on fixed period, so neither measure is a strong point. Maximum loan to value is the better showing, at 47 of 293. The initial rate of 4.98% compares with a 4.49% median, and the fixed period of 5 with a 10 median.

The company behind it

The lender is National Westminster Bank Plc, based in the United Kingdom and lending directly to borrowers. It is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority under 121878. Borrower support runs on phone, chat and help centre, so help is available by phone and chat as well as in the help centre.

How NatWest compares

Where NatWest is available

Available
United Kingdom
Licence in United Kingdom
Financial Conduct Authority (regulated) and Prudential Regulation Authority (authorised) (121878), checked September 26, 2026

Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)

Frequently asked questions

What rate do NatWest personal loans charge?+

Unsecured personal loans are priced at 7.2%, and the representative example quoted covers a lower borrowing band within the £1,000 to £50,000 range. Loans run for 12 to 120, so the term you pick changes the total you repay.

Is a product fee added to the mortgage?+

Yes, mortgages carry a product fee of £995 on top of the rate. The headline initial rate is 4.98%, and the fixed period runs for 5, so weigh the fee against what the fixed rate buys you.

How much can I borrow for a home purchase?+

NatWest lends for purchase, remortgage and first-time-buyer purposes, and the maximum loan to value is 95%. That means a first-time buyer with a small deposit can still reach the full amount needed.

Will applying affect my credit file?+

NatWest uses a soft prequalification check (soft prequal), so an initial eligibility check does not carry the same weight as a full application. A formal offer would still involve the standard credit assessment for the amount applied for.

Can I repay early without a charge?+

Free early repayment: no, so anyone planning to overpay or sell up early should price that in. Making extra payments is possible, but the flexibility that comes with fee-free settlement is missing.

Who is behind the lending?+

The legal entity is National Westminster Bank Plc, based in the United Kingdom and lending directly to customers. It is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority under 121878.

What can I get help with after applying?+

Support runs on phone, chat and help centre, so phone and chat are both available alongside a help centre. Anyone consolidating debts or funding a car purchase can pick a loan type from personal, debt consolidation and car and ask about the terms before applying.

Sources

  • natwest.com/loans.html checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Loan amount, APR, Credit check, Eligibility, Features, Funding time, Lender type, Loan types, Representative example, Term, Use cases

    “You could borrow between £1,000 and £50,000 from us”

  • natwest.com/loans/existing-customers.html checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Free early repayment

    “You'll be charged an early repayment fee of up to 58 days' interest or up to 28 days' interest if you took out your loan for one year or less.”

  • natwest.com/mortgages/first-time-buyers.html checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Maximum loan to value

    “95% mortgages - A mortgage with as little as a 5% deposit. Exclusions & eligibility criteria apply.”

  • natwest.com/mortgages/mortgage-rates.html checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Fixed period, Initial rate, Product fee, Purpose

    “5 year fixed rate 4.98% ... Monthly payment For 5 years”

  • natwest.com/support-centre/contact-us.html checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Support channels

    “Chat to us online - Cora is a digital chatbot ... Call us on 0800 096 9527 ... Find answers in our FAQs”

  • natwest.com/website-terms-and-FSCS.html checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Headquarters, Legal entity, Licences

    “Registered Office: 250 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 4AA”

Compiled from 6 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.

Not confirmed yet: APRC.

NatWest

NatWest

Borrowers who want a mortgage and personal loans under one regulated UK bank.

8.9/10See alternatives

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