Shawbrook consolidates unsecured SME lending under Playter brand

Shawbrook has announced that all new unsecured business lending applications will be originated through fintech lender Playter from 6 May 2026, marking a major step in the bank’s strategy to build a specialist multi-brand platform focused on the UK SME lower mid-market.

The move follows Shawbrook’s acquisition of Playter in December 2025 and reflects the bank’s broader ambition to create a differentiated portfolio of specialist lending brands spanning the full growth lifecycle of UK businesses.

Under the new structure, Shawbrook’s unsecured business loan products, including its Professions Finance offering, will transition to the Playter platform. At the same time, Playter will expand its product suite to include term loans ranging from three months to five years, alongside its existing short-term working capital and VAT funding products.

The consolidation creates a single specialist unsecured lending platform aimed at serving established SMEs seeking flexible finance solutions for cashflow management, business investment and expansion.

Shawbrook said the transition forms part of a deliberate brand portfolio strategy encompassing Playter, ThinCats and Shawbrook itself, collectively offering lending solutions across the £50,000 to £50 million-plus funding spectrum.

Together, the three brands represent a combined SME loan book of approximately £4 billion and target an addressable market estimated at close to £100 billion.

Under the structure, Playter will focus on unsecured SME lending through its digital-first, AI-enabled platform, while ThinCats will continue supporting founder-led and sponsor-backed growth businesses with expansion and acquisition finance. Shawbrook will remain focused on larger, more established companies requiring structured and institutional-grade capital solutions.

The group said the strategy is designed to create a “natural migration pathway” for businesses as they scale, while also giving brokers access to a single group relationship capable of supporting a wide range of funding requirements.

Central to Playter’s proposition is its proprietary technology platform, which combines automated workflows with Open Banking integrations to streamline underwriting and accelerate lending decisions.

The company’s AI-powered broker hub, known as “Ari”, enables brokers to assess client credit profiles and submit applications through a simplified digital process. According to Playter, the platform can deliver credit decisions within 24 hours across its product range.

Neil Rudge, Chief Banking Officer, Commercial at Shawbrook, said the lower mid-market remained a significantly underserved area of the UK economy.

“SMEs are the engine of UK growth, and they deserve a lending experience that matches their ambition,” said Rudge.

“The lower mid-market, the ‘M’ in SME, is an enormously important and underserved segment, and Shawbrook has been building its capabilities here with real intent.

“Bringing all of our unsecured lending under the Playter brand is the natural next step. Playter’s technology and proposition are purpose-built for growth-focused businesses that need fast, flexible finance. With Shawbrook’s scale and expertise behind it, Playter can now deliver that experience consistently and more broadly than ever.”

Jamie Beaumont, Founder and Managing Director of Playter, said the integration would strengthen the company’s ability to serve brokers and SME clients at scale.

“Playter was built on a simple belief: that SMEs and their brokers deserve better access to finance – faster, simpler and more tailored to how businesses actually work,” he said.

“Today that belief is backed by the breadth and depth of Shawbrook’s capabilities, funding and reach.

“Consolidating Shawbrook’s unsecured lending into Playter means brokers now have one powerful, intelligent platform for the full range of their clients’ unsecured SME lending needs.”

Shawbrook said existing customers would continue to be serviced under their current terms and contact arrangements, while lending cases already in progress through Shawbrook will proceed as agreed.

From launch, the expanded Playter platform will provide brokers with access to short-term cashflow loans, business term loans, Professions Finance products and AI-assisted application and credit assessment tools through the Ari broker hub.

The move underlines growing consolidation between traditional lenders and fintech platforms as banks seek to combine technological innovation with established funding capacity and distribution networks to better serve UK SMEs.