ThisweekisChildren’sMentalHealthWeek(9 -15 February),ledby Place2Be,thechildren’smentalhealthcharitybehindthecampaign.The themethisyearisThisIsMyPlace,whichfocusesonbelonging, community,andfamily,andhowfeelingsafe,connected,andaccepted supportschildren’semotionalwellbeing.
Wewantedtotakeamomenttofocusonthisbecauseconversations aroundchildren’smentalhealthhavebecomeincreasinglyimportantover thelastfewyears.RecentUKdatashowsacontinuedriseinthenumber ofchildrenandyoungpeopleexperiencinganxiety,emotionaldistress, andlowmood,withdemandformentalhealthsupportremaininghigher thanitwaspre-pandemic.
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Formanyfamilies,schools,andcommunities,emotionalwellbeingisno longerseenasa‘nicetohave’,butsomethingthatgenuinelymatters.
That’saviewJustMortgagesandIshare.AsaWellbeingAmbassador, it’ssomethingIconsistentlyadvocatefor.Wellbeingisn’tsomethingwe dipintoonlywhenthingsfeeldifficultorreachcrisispoint.It’s somethingwetakeseriously,becausesupport,belonging,andfeeling safeplayanimportantroleinemotionalwellbeing,forchildren,andfor theadultsaroundthem.
What’s powerful about This Is My Place is that it isn’t really about a physical place at all.
Formostchildren,“place”isafeeling. It’sknowingtheybelong. It’sfeelinglistenedto. It’shavingsomeonetheytrust.
Thatsenseofplaceoftenshowsupinveryordinarymoments..a conversationinthecar,afamiliarroutine,asharedmeal,abedtimechat, orsimplyknowingsomeonewillnoticeifsomethingfeelsdifferent.It doesn’thavetobeperfect,anditdoesn’tlookthesameineveryfamily.
Therearealsolotsofwaystoaccesssupportifyou’relookingfor guidanceorideas.Place2Beoffersfreeresourcesdesignedtohelp childrentalkaboutfeelings,belonging,andworriesinage-appropriate ways.Alongsidethis,organisationssuchasYoungMindstrustedadvice andtoolsforparentsandcarers,helpingtoopenupconversations aroundchildren’smentalhealthandemotionalwellbeing.Sometimes havingsomethingpracticaltoleanon,aresource,aprompt,orabitof guidance,canmakethoseconversationsfeeleasiertostart.
We’vealsosharedashortpodcastonMyLearningSpacefromour
WellbeingAssistanceProgrammeprovider,HealthAssured,which explorestherealitiesofchildren’sandyoungpeople’smentalhealth.It looksatspottingearlysignsofemotionaldistressandtheimportanceof support,oftenbeforethingsfeeloverwhelming.
Scan the qr code to listen WhiletheWellbeingAssistanceProgrammesupportsyoungpeoplefrom theageof16,it’salsotheretosupportyou…whetheryou’reaparent, grandparent,carer,orsomeonesupportingachild.Thatmightmean talkingsomethingthrough,gettingpointedintherightdirection,or havingaconfidentialconversationaboutsomethingthat’sbeenonyour mind.You’refreetouseitinwhateverwayfeelshelpful.ThisIsMyPlace remindsusthatbelongingisn’tabouthavingalltheanswersorknowing therightthingtosay.It’saboutknowingthereareplacestoturn,for children,andfortheadultssupportingthem,andthatsupportdoesn’t havetolookthesameforeveryone.
Becausethereisn’tjustoneplacetogo.Therearemany.Andwhat mattersmostisfindingtheonethatfeelsrightforyou.
Your Wellbeing Ambassador
Sian Musial
Thesesessionsareallaboutconfidence,clarityandcommercialimpact. Practicalsessions,realadviserconversationsandtoolsyoucanlift straightoutandusewithclientstheverysameday.
AllsessionscanbebookedviatheEventspageonMyLearningSpace. Placesarelimitedandallocatedonafirstcomebasis,sopleasebook earlytosecureyourspot! Mastering
13February2026|13:00
Brokerfeesareaboutmorethanincome.Thissessionfocuseson positioning,professionalismandhavingclear,confidentconversations aboutvalueandfairnessthatfeelnaturalandcredibletoclients.
A Practical Guide to Social Media for
Advisers 20February2026|13:00
Arealistic,downtoearthsessiononusingsocialmediainawaythat feelscomfortable,professionalandsustainable.Wewilllookatwhat goodlookslikeforadvisers,howtostayconsistentwithoutittakingover yourtime,andhowsocialmediacansupportlongtermgrowth.
Providers Added Value Services 27February2026|10:00
Apracticallookattheaddedvalueservicesavailableacrossour protectionprovidersandhowtobringthesetolifeinclient conversations.Thissessionisallaboutdifferentiation,strongerclient outcomesandbuildingtrustthroughconfident,informeddiscussion.
Bringing MetLife to Life 24March2026|14:00
AfocusedsessiononhowMetLifeprotectionsupportsclientswhenit mattersmost.Wewillexplorethestrengthsofthepropositionandhow topositionthemclearlyandconfidentlyinclientconversations.
Mastering Family Income Benefit 26March2026|14:00
ApracticalsessiononpositioningFamilyIncomeBenefitasameaningful andeffectivesolutionforclients.Thefocusisonrealworldapplication andhelpingfamiliesachievelongtermfinancialsecurity.
EverymonthSmartr365releaseimprovementsandotherresolutionsto theplatform,belowisasummaryofthese:
Homebuyer iOS & Android Apps Paused Smartr365havepausedtheavailabilityofouriOSandAndroid Homebuyerapps.Thisdecisionallowsthemtofocusfullyon strengtheningtheweb-basedHomebuyerappandmakingsurethecore journeyisworkingreliablyandsmoothlyforyouandyourclients.
Thepriorityistoensuretheendtoendexperiencefrominvitethroughto factfindcompletionisfast,stable,andeasytouse.Byconcentratingon oneplatform,Smartr365canmovequicker,resolveissuesmore effectivelyanddeliverimprovementsthatbenefitallusers.
YourclientscancontinuetoaccessHomebuyerthroughtheirweb browseronmobile,tablet,ordesktop.Thewebappsupportsthefull journeyandwillbethefocusofongoingenhancementsinthenearterm.
Althoughtheappisnolongeravailablefornewdownloads,existing userscanstillaccessit.Pleasedirectyourclientstothewebapplication forcontinueduse.
Email Reply Handling Fixed in Adviser Portald Smartr365havefixedanissueaffectingemailconversationssent fromwithinacase.
WhenadvisersusedComposeEmailfromtheHistorytabinsidea case,theclientreceivedtheemail,however,thereplytoaddress wasincorrectandadviserscouldnotseethereplyinthecase History.
Thisisnowfixedsothatemailthreadingandreplyhandlingnow workcorrectly.
Mortgage News SantanderlaunchesinnovativeschemetofurthersupportFirstTime Buyers
The‘MyFirstMortgage’producthaslaunchedwitharateof5.19%with nofeeandcomeswith£250cashback.Itrequiresaminimum£10,000 deposit,withmaximumlendingupto£500,000repayableoveratermof betweenfiveand40years.
My First Mortgage Key criteria: Firsttimebuyersonly. Minimumdepositof£10,000. Yourclientcouldborrowbetween£190,001and£500,000. ForLTVsover95%andupto98%. Maximumterm40years.
Notavailableforflats,newbuildhomes,SharedOwnership,selfemployedorpropertiesinNorthernIreland. Forajointmortgage,bothclientsmustbeafirsttimebuyer.
Santander
Pleaseusetheiraffordabilitycalculatortoseehowmuchyourclientsmay beabletoborrow.
SantanderUKheadofhomesDavidMorrissays:“Weknowthatsavingfor adepositremainsoneofthebiggesthurdlestohomeownership.”
“Last year, the averagefirst-time buyerwith Santander put down adepositofmore than £85,000, a figure that can feel unattainable for today’s aspiring homeowners, whether that’s a result of more modest income, limited family financial support, rising rental costs, and in some cases childcare expenses ”
“We want to help more people benefit from the stability and sense of pride that owning a home brings, while maintaining our position as a responsible lender My First Mortgage does just that, offering the chance to speed up the time to ownership with the reassurance that the buyer has received specialist mortgage advice and will have certainty of what they are expected to pay, every month, for the next five years ”
Positive changes to Delayed Start Mortgages DelayedStartisbuiltdifferentfrombefore… Here’s what’s new:
1.Yourclientscannowchoosetodelayrepaymentsforupto1,2or3 months,dependingontheproductselected.Helpingthemtofreeup cash,flexibly.
2.YourclientcannowuseDelayedStartalongsideTrackRecord.Weall knowthedifficultiesfacingrenters.Thisisjustanotherwaytohelpease thoseupfrontcosts.
3.YourclientcannowuseDelayedStartalongsideSharedOwnership.
Interestwillcontinuetoaccruefromdayone.Subjecttoeligibilityand lendingcriteria.
Here’swhatourFTBLead,LucyLewis,hadtosayaboutthechanges:‘At Skipton,yourfeedbackmatters.YoutoldusyouhowourDelayedStart productrangecouldworkevenbetter,andwe’velistened–making changesdesignedtohelpmorefirst-timebuyers.’
Formoreinformation,pleasetakealookattheirwebsiteHEREorgetin touchwithyourdedicatedBDM.
Lending Criteria Update From Skipton Building Society
SkiptonBuildingSocietyhavemadethefollowingchangestoitsForeign NationalVisacriteria:
ApplicantsonaVisaarenowgenerallyacceptableandincomemaybeused intheaffordabilitycalculationsubjecttothefollowing:
Income Rule:
Atleast1applicantmusthaveaminimumincomeof£40,000.Forjoint applications,ifthisisnotpossible,acombinedminimumincomeof £60,000isacceptable.
Theincomemustbeearnedincome,sothiscanincluderentalincomebut notbenefitormaintenanceincome,(theminimumincomerequirement canbedisregardedwhereoneormoreapplicantsareUKnationalsorhave IndefiniteLeavetoRemain).
Other Rules:
Minimum1yearofresidencyintheUK
Maximum90%LTV,(theLTVrestrictioncanbedisregardedwhereone ormoreapplicantsareUKnationalsorhaveIndefiniteLeaveto Remain)
Minimumof1yearremainingonthevisa
Clear Solutions for Debt Consolidation Ifyou'resupportingcustomerswithhigherlevelsofunsecuredborrowing, includingloans,creditcardsorstorecards,MetroBankcanofferaclear andpracticalapproachtodebtconsolidationapplicationsupto80%LTV.
Perfect for customers dealing with:
Highcredit cardutilisation
Multipleunsecuredcommitments
Recentcreditinstability
Reasons to use Metro Bank for debt consolidation
Nodebttoincomeratiorequirements
Theydon’tdoublecountrepaiddebts–Borrowingclearedon completionisn’tincludedinaffordability.
Nomaximumontheamountconsolidated–Forlargerconsolidation applications,includinghighcredit-cardbalances,wereviewrecent spendingtoensureaffordability,
Sameproducts,samecriteria–Debtconsolidationsitswithintheir standardrangewithnoseparatepricingorproducts. Interestonlyupto80%LTV–Affordabilityassessedoninterest-only; saleofpropertyandotherrepaymentstrategiesaccepted.
You’llneedtocompleteadebt‑consolidationform.Downloadtheform.For fulldetails,pleaserefertotheirMortgageLendingCriteriaGuideand ProductGuides.
Got a case to discuss?
GetintouchwithyourlocalBDM;theywouldlovetohearfromyou.Orcall theBrokerhelpdeskon02034271019.
Protection & GI News LastyearGeorgiatookthegongforWomanoftheYear;Intermediary Supportatthe2025COVERWomeninProtectionandHealthAwards.
GeorgiatalkstoWayneaboutgettingstartedinherfinancialservices careerinprotectionbeforemovingintounderwritingandfinally,sales. WithherformaleducationbeinginLiterature,shetalksabouthowthis passionforstorytellingunderpinsherworkwithfinancialadvisers.
This episode also covers:
Theimportanceofbuildingtrustandrelationshipstoencourage clientstosharetheirlifestory.
TheworkL&Gisdoingtogiveadviserstheconfidencetowalkclients throughaholisticfinancialplanacrossdisciplines.
Theactionablecontentadviserscanlookforwardtothisyearinthe brandnewon-demandAdviserAcademy.
Listen to the Podcast
Industry News Monetary Policy & Market Response TheBankofEngland’sMonetaryPolicyCommitteeheldthebaserateat 3.75%thisweek,inlinewithexpectations,followinganinflationuptick to3.4%.Thenarrowvotesplitunderscorespotentialforfuturecuts laterin2026asinflationtrendsbacktowardtarget.Trackerandvariable rateborrowerssawstability,whilefixed-ratepricingcontinuestoreflect swapmarketsandlenderfundingcosts.Economistsgenerally anticipatethefirstofseveralcutslaterthisyear,possiblyaroundspring.
Mortgage Product & Pricing Trends Despitesomelendersmodestlyre-pricingfixedmortgageproducts higher,competitivedealsarestillavailablewithsometwo-yearfixes fromaround3.51%asmarketvolatilitytemperongoingpricewars. Broaderproductchoiceremainsstrong,althoughrecentinflationdata hascausedashortpauseinratedrops.
Housing Market Data UKhousepricessawanoteworthyrebound,withtheaveragevalue surpassing£300,000inJanuary2026,itsfirsttimeabovethis milestone.Regionaltrendsvaried:pricegainswerestrongestin Northernregionswhilesomesouthernmarketseased.Mortgage approvals,however,remainedrelativelysubdued,highlightingongoing affordabilitychallengesamidevolvingeconomicconditions.
Regulatory & Protection Sector Headlines Ontheregulatoryfront,theFCA’sPureProtectionMarketStudy continuestoinfluencediscoursearoundprotectioncoveragegaps,with firmsengagingcloselywithfindingsandimplicationsfortheprotection advicelandscape.TheFCAhasalsosignalledintensifiedscrutinyon firms’ConsumerDutycompliance,urgingrobustevidenceof consumer-centricoutcomesaspartofregulatoryoversight
