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Our history

Paragon began life as a specialist residential mortgage lender in 1985. A pioneer in buy-to-let lending, in 1995 we launched our first mortgage products for UK landlords in the growing Private Rented Sector achieving a 10% share in the buy-to-let market by 2006. In 2014, we began a strategic transformation from a monoline lender to a diversified, specialist bank and we continue on this path today.


2023 History

2023

  • Commercial Lending to UK business customers reaches more than 37% of the Group’s new lending
  • Savings from retail customers grow to over 80% of total funding
  • Paragon named ‘Most Dynamic Mentoring Organisation’ by Mission Include for the support and commitment given to its Mission Gender Equity programme

2022

  • Accredited as a Platinum Employer by Investors in People
  • New lending reaches more than £3 billion
  • Savings deposits exceed £10 billion
2022 History
2021 History

2021

  • Buy-to-lending to specialist landlords reaches new record
  • Commercial lending shows good growth
  • Savings deposits exceed £9 billion

2020

  • Payment relief extended to customers during the pandemic
  • Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans and Bounce Back Loans introduced to support customer recovery
  • Savings deposits exceed £7.9 billion
2012 History
2020 History

2019

  • Savings deposits exceed £6 billion
  • Specialist landlords account for almost 90% of all new buy-to-let lending
  • Commercial Lending portfolio increased by 28.1%

2018

  • Began offering finance to the legal profession with the acquisition of Iceberg
  • Launch of Group’s first structured lending facilities
  • Acquisition of Titlestone accelerated progress of the Group’s development finance offering
2019 History
2018 History

2017

  • Transition into fully integrated banking group complete and Paragon Group of Companies PLC becomes Paragon Banking Group PLC
  • Reorganisation of the Group into three operating units

2016

  • Purchase of Premier Asset Finance, one of the UK’s leading asset finance brokers
  • Launch of property development finance proposition
  • Paragon Bank launches ISAs
  • Paragon Bank moves into profit
2016 History
2015 History

2015

  • Paragon enters the SME finance market with the acquisition of Five Arrows Leasing Group
  • Savings deposit base grows to more than £700 million

2014

  • Paragon Bank established and first savings accounts opened
  • Launch of three lending product lines
  • New lending in buy-to-let mortgages increased by 82%
  • Paragon re-enters motor finance market
2014 History

Celebrating our history

From 1985 to the present day, Paragon has a long history of developing specialist lending products to serve specific customer segments. From specialist residential mortgage lender to business champion, see how we’ve grown.