Who we are
Retail is the UK’s biggest provider of mortgages and savings. Our multi-brand approach offers customers a range of simple, value-for-money products.
Simple, value for money products
Retail provides financial services to over 23 million customers through a broad distribution base ranging from branches and intermediaries to direct mail, telephone and internet services. Retail’s range of multi-branded products includes personal and business banking services providing mortgages, savings, bank accounts, personal loans and credit cards.
Mortgages
HBOS is the UK mortgage market leader. We sell mortgages through five brands: Halifax, Bank of Scotland, Birmingham Midshires, Intelligent Finance and The Mortgage Business. Products range from mainstream mortgages covering the residential mortgage market segment to specialist mortgages covering the Buy to Let, self-certified and sub-prime mortgage market segments.
Savings and Bank Accounts
Savings products are offered through four brands: Halifax, Bank of Scotland, Birmingham Midshires and Intelligent Finance catering for all segments of the savings market, including children’s accounts, tax-free, fixed rate and regular savings accounts. HBOS is the market leader for savings with a 16% market share. Bank Accounts range from full facilities current accounts to basic social banking facilities. HBOS remains at the forefront in the development of alternative value for money personal banking products.
A wide variety of Retail products
Personal Loans and Credit Cards are offered through the Halifax, Bank of Scotland and Intelligent Finance brands. Credit Cards are also provided through a host of affinity branded Credit Cards such as charity cards where a proportion of income earned is donated to the charity. Retail also distributes the Group’s insurance and investment products on behalf of the Group’s Insurance & Investment division and participates in a number of joint ventures, such as Sainsbury’s Bank.
Business Banking and ancillary services
Business Banking offers a full range of banking services to small businesses, typically with an annual turnover of up to £1m. In addition, Retail provides a range of ancillary services, including estate agency services (through Halifax Estate Agencies), valuation services (through Colley’s Valuation & Surveying services) and share dealing services (through Halifax Share Dealing Ltd).
