Broker sentiment has strengthened significantly year-on-year, according to a new poll from Investec, taken at its mortgage broker event focused on the high-net-worth mortgage market.
In the 2026 poll, 96% of brokers said they expect their business to grow over the next 12 months, compared with 91% in 2025 and 81% in 2024.
While optimism is high, challenges remain. Macroeconomic volatility continues to rank as brokers’ top concern, consistent with previous years. Securing new and repeat business has risen further up the agenda in 2026, reflecting increased competition and a more discerning client base, while regulatory change and incoming legislation remain a persistent pressure.
When discussing their high-net-worth clients, brokers’ priorities remain largely unchanged year-on-year. The ability to assess affordability using a broad range of assets rather than salaried income alone continues to be the most pressing concern. This is followed by the speed of financing and the ability to secure a higher LTV mortgage, underlining the ongoing need for bespoke, flexible lending solutions.
Peter Izard, head of intermediary business development at Investec Bank, said: “Confidence among brokers has built steadily over the past three years, and it’s encouraging to see that translate into such strong growth expectations for 2026. Importantly, we’re also seeing this optimism reflected in real activity. In particular, we’ve recently seen a strong rise in high-net-worth mortgage applications for loans above £5m following the Budget, driven by clients with complex financial profiles seeking certainty, flexibility and speed.
“High-net-worth individuals rarely fit neatly into standard affordability models, which is why brokers continue to prioritise lenders who can take a holistic view of wealth. Our role is to support brokers with tailored solutions that reflect the full financial picture and help them deliver for clients in an increasingly competitive market.”
Ellie Henderson, economist at Investec, commented: “While sentiment around the UK economy has often been cautious, the data paints a more positive picture. Growth through 2025 was stronger than widely perceived and stronger than most had expected. We expect outperformance relative to consensus forecasts to continue into 2026. The UK’s resilience looks likely to be supported by easing inflation and falling interest rates.
“This is important for the UK housing market. Despite political and global uncertainties, the resilience in activity suggests a period of stability and steady momentum which will be helpful for confidence too."
