Cambridge & Counties Bank
Cambridge & Counties Bank is a UK-chartered specialist bank that provides property finance, asset finance, specialist car finance, and savings products to SMEs, brokers, charities, and credit unions across England, Scotland, and Wales.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersLeicester, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Cambridge & Counties Bank does
Cambridge & Counties Bank is a UK-chartered specialist bank founded in 2012 and headquartered in Leicester, England, with additional offices in Reading, Sheffield, and Manchester and a workforce of over 245. The bank is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, and serves UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), property professionals, brokers, charities, and credit unions. It operates through three core lending franchises: Property Finance (residential, commercial, buy-to-let, bridging, development, HMOs, and holiday lets), Asset Finance (hire purchase and finance lease for agricultural, construction, commercial vehicles, machinery, plus a Specialist Car Finance division covering classic, vintage, racing, and sports cars), and Savings Accounts (business notice accounts, fixed rate bonds, charity savings, and credit union deposits).
The bank runs a primarily intermediary-led distribution model, with property finance brokers, asset finance brokers, and specialist car finance brokers as the dominant channel, supplemented by regional business development managers and a relationship manager workforce covering Yorkshire, the North West, the South, the Midlands, and Wales. Its technology stack combines traditional UK banking infrastructure with SnapLogic middleware for process automation, the Verifi virtual inspection platform for asset verification in the asset finance division, AI-assisted tools for email triage, customer service, vulnerable customer support, and fraud prevention, and a self-serve online savings portal. Product pricing for lending is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, while savings rates are published; development finance carries a 2% arrangement fee (1% to broker) and 1% exit fee.
The bank's revenue mechanics are those of a UK deposit-taking institution: it funds itself through £1.63bn of customer deposits and a £20m Tier 2 facility from British Business Investments, then earns net interest income and fees on a loan book approaching £1.5bn. In FY2025 it reported record gross new lending of £560m (up nearly 50% from £376m in FY2024), pre-tax profits of £39.7m, and a cost of risk of negative 15 basis points, the lowest since launch. The bank is B Corp certified and holds Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation.
Cambridge & Counties Bank firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cambridge & Counties Bank
- Legal name
- Cambridge & Counties Bank Limited
- Website
- https://ccbank.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Cambridge & Counties Bank is a UK-chartered specialist bank that provides property finance, asset finance, specialist car finance, and savings products to SMEs, brokers, charities, and credit unions across England, Scotland, and Wales.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cambridge & Counties Bank industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialist SME Banking
- NAICS
- Commercial Banking (522110), Real Estate Credit (522292)
- SIC
- Mortgage Bankers & Loan Correspondents (6162)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Balance-Sheet / Portfolio CRE Lending (FSALADAG)
Keywords
Where Cambridge & Counties Bank is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Leicester
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Cambridge & Counties Bank business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Property Finance: Interest income from property loans including residential, commercial, bridging, development finance, buy-to-let, HMOs, holiday lets, and refurbishment loans
- Asset Finance: Interest and fees from financing business assets including agriculture, construction, commercial vehicles, machinery through hire purchase and finance lease products
- Classic, Vintage & Sports Car Finance: Specialist financing for classic, vintage, racing, and sports cars through hire purchase and finance lease
- Savings Accounts: Deposit-taking from businesses, charities, and credit unions. Interest paid to depositors, spread retained as revenue. Includes business notice accounts, fixed rate bonds, and charity savings
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | 30 Day Business Notice Account |
| Subscription | Monthly | 95 Day Business Notice Account |
| Subscription | Annual | Fixed Rate Business Bonds |
| Subscription | Monthly | Charity Savings Accounts |
| Subscription | Monthly | Credit Union Savings Accounts |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Property Finance Lending |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Asset Finance Lending |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Specialist Car Finance |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels13 records
Cambridge & Counties Bank product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cambridge & Counties Bank is a UK specialist challenger bank that lends to small and medium-sized enterprises, property professionals, and brokers through property finance (bridging, buy-to-let, development, commercial, refurbishment, HMO, and holiday let loans), asset finance (hire purchase and finance lease for business equipment, agriculture, construction, commercial vehicles, and machinery), and specialist car finance for classic, vintage, racing, and sports cars. It also takes deposits through business notice accounts, fixed rate business bonds, charity savings accounts, and credit union savings accounts. All lending is distributed primarily via a broker and intermediary network supported by regional business development managers, with no automated digital portals for complex cases.
Product overview
Cambridge & Counties Bank is a specialist UK bank offering a focused portfolio of three core products: Savings Accounts (business notice accounts and fixed rate bonds), Property Finance (bridging, buy-to-let, development finance, commercial loans, and specialist segments like HMOs and holiday lets), and Asset Finance (hire purchase and finance lease for vehicles, equipment, and machinery). The bank also operates a Specialist Car Finance division for classic, vintage, and sports cars. The offering is organized as a unified banking platform with specialized lending divisions rather than a modular product suite.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Savings Accounts Business savings accounts including 30 day and 95 day business notice accounts, 6 month to 5 year fixed rate business bonds, charity savings accounts, and credit union savings accounts. Designed for businesses, charities, and credit unions seeking competitive rates with FSCS protection up to £120,000.
- Property Finance Specialist property lending solutions including residential and commercial loans, bridging finance, development finance, buy-to-let, HMOs, holiday lets, expat buy-to-let, refurbishment loans, VAT loans, mixed-use loans, and secured pension lending. For UK SMEs, property professionals, and investors with loan sizes typically from £150k up to £7.5m for development finance.
- Asset Finance Financing solutions for business assets including agricultural equipment, construction machinery, commercial vehicles, and material handling equipment, delivered through hire purchase (terms up to 7 years) and finance lease (terms up to 5 years, with 97.5% net sales proceeds return). Includes the Asset Finance Flow business line for smaller deals up to £150,000, with lending up to £1.5m per single asset and same-day payout available.
- Specialist Car Finance Specialist lending for classic, vintage, racing, sports, and supercars including premium marques such as classic Aston Martins and Bentleys. For collectors, enthusiasts, investors, and dealers requiring finance for unique or appreciating vehicles that mainstream lenders will not finance.
- Bridging Loans Short-term property finance with terms of 1 to 24 months, minimum loan £500k, maximum £5m, up to 80% LTV for residential properties. Used for time-sensitive property transactions where speed of execution is critical.
- Buy-to-Let Finance Property investment financing for individual landlords and limited companies with variable or fixed rate options up to 75% LTV. Designed for portfolio landlords and property investors seeking finance for residential rental properties.
- Development Finance Loans Residential development funding for multi-unit properties, new builds, conversions, and refurbishment schemes with up to 65% loan to gross development value. Includes arrangement fees of 2% (1% payable to broker) and 1% exit fee, with lending up to £7.5m.
- Commercial Investment Loans Commercial property investment financing with interest-only options, up to 70% LTV, and terms ranging from 12 months to 25 years. For investors acquiring or refinancing commercial property assets.
Quantifiable outcome
- Gross new lending increased nearly 50% from £376m in FY2024 to £560m in FY2025
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Cambridge & Counties Bank
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Cambridge & Counties Bank technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability2 records
Feature4 records
Cambridge & Counties Bank partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, core and minor.
- Aston Martin Owners ClubsupportingCambridge & Counties Bank announced partnership with the Aston Martin Owners Club, supporting the classic and sports car enthusiast community.
- VerifisupportingVerifi's virtual inspection platform was selected by Cambridge & Counties Bank to streamline its asset verification process and accelerate payouts in its rapidly growing asset finance division.
- SnapLogicsupportingCambridge & Counties Bank leverages SnapLogic middleware platform to automate manual business processes, especially in asset finance, improving speed and efficiency while reducing systems integration complexity as part of digital transformation.
- Westcor (Perfect Title)supportingPartnership with Westcor's Perfect Title product for title indemnity insurance in bridging loans, shaped by broker feedback and customer insight.
- Stewart Hindley & PartnerscoreLong-standing broker partnership where Stewart Hindley & Partners introduces clients to Cambridge & Counties Bank for property finance, demonstrating collaborative relationship approach.
- Acquis Lumia CommunityminorCambridge & Counties Bank joined the Acquis Lumia community for business development and networking purposes.
- FCA/PRA RegulationcoreCambridge & Counties Bank is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under firm registration number 579415.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Cambridge & Counties Bank competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Shawbrook Bank: UK specialist challenger bank focused on SME property finance, asset finance and development lending, with a broker-led distribution model and manual underwriting approach almost identical to Cambridge & Counties Bank.
- Aldermore Bank: UK challenger bank providing SME asset finance, commercial mortgages and property development lending through broker and intermediary channels — overlapping directly with Cambridge & Counties Bank's lending verticals and target customer base.
- Close Brothers Asset Finance: UK asset finance and SME lending division of Close Brothers Group providing hire purchase, leasing and specialist vehicle finance — directly comparable to Cambridge & Counties Bank's Asset Finance and Specialist Car Finance divisions.
- Paragon Bank: UK specialist challenger bank with significant buy-to-let, bridging, development finance and asset finance operations — directly competing in Cambridge & Counties Bank's core property and asset lending segments.
- Redwood Bank: UK challenger bank lending exclusively to SMEs and property professionals via brokers — closely comparable specialist business model and target customer base to Cambridge & Counties Bank.
- Secure Trust Bank: UK challenger bank with asset finance, commercial lending and specialist consumer finance divisions — comparable in scale and product mix to Cambridge & Counties Bank's SME and consumer asset finance.
Broad incumbents
- Metro Bank: Larger UK challenger bank offering commercial lending, asset finance and business savings — overlaps with Cambridge & Counties Bank but operates a broader retail and commercial proposition rather than specialist focus.
- Handelsbanken UK: UK branch-based relationship banking operation focused on SME and commercial real estate lending — overlapping with Cambridge & Counties Bank's relationship-led property finance franchise.
Regional players
- Atom Bank: UK digital challenger bank competing in SME and residential property finance — an emerging player in the UK specialist lending space that competes with Cambridge & Counties Bank's mortgage and BTL products.
Emerging players
- Funding Circle: UK SME lending platform with property and business loan offerings — an emerging player whose institutional funding facility relationship with Cambridge & Counties Bank highlights overlapping SME customer pools.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cambridge & Counties Bank social profiles
Digital presenceCambridge & Counties Bank compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Cambridge & Counties Bank financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cambridge & Counties Bank leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Cambridge & Counties Bank funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cambridge & Counties Bank M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments3 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cambridge & Counties Bank
What does Cambridge & Counties Bank do?
Cambridge & Counties Bank is a UK specialist challenger bank that lends to small and medium-sized enterprises, property professionals, and brokers through property finance (bridging, buy-to-let, development, commercial, refurbishment, HMO, and holiday let loans), asset finance (hire purchase and finance lease for business equipment, agriculture, construction, commercial vehicles, and machinery), and specialist car finance for classic, vintage, racing, and sports cars. It also takes deposits through business notice accounts, fixed rate business bonds, charity savings accounts, and credit union savings accounts. All lending is distributed primarily via a broker and intermediary network supported by regional business development managers, with no automated digital portals for complex cases.
Is Cambridge & Counties Bank a public or private company?
Cambridge & Counties Bank is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Cambridge & Counties Bank founded?
Cambridge & Counties Bank was founded in 2012. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Cambridge & Counties Bank based?
Cambridge & Counties Bank is headquartered in Leicester, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Cambridge & Counties Bank make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Property Finance is the primary driver. The others are asset Finance, classic, Vintage & Sports Car Finance and savings Accounts.
Who are Cambridge & Counties Bank's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Shawbrook Bank, Aldermore Bank, Close Brothers Asset Finance, Paragon Bank, Redwood Bank and Secure Trust Bank. Broad incumbents are Metro Bank and Handelsbanken UK. Atom Bank is listed as a regional player. Funding Circle is listed as an emerging player.
Does Cambridge & Counties Bank have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cambridge & Counties Bank.
What industry is Cambridge & Counties Bank in?
Cambridge & Counties Bank's product category is Specialist SME Banking. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSALADAG, Balance-Sheet / Portfolio CRE Lending. Its NAICS code is 522110 and its SIC code is 6162.