NatWest Group has committed £20 billion over the next decade to support economic growth across the North of England, with a focus on housing, transport, infrastructure, energy and regeneration.
The commitment was announced by NatWest Group chief executive Paul Thwaite at the Great North Investment Summit, convened in collaboration with northern mayors and sponsored by the bank.
NatWest said the funding formed part of its Growing Together plan, which is intended to support UK economic growth by backing regional economies.
The bank said the £20 billion ambition would support investment in areas including energy, transport, infrastructure, regeneration and housing. It said this would be delivered through direct funding, risk-sharing with partners and by helping to bring in investment from other sources.
NatWest said it intended to work with Northern Combined Authorities, including those in the process of being created, to help mobilise private capital alongside public funding.
Housing and the built environment will be among the areas of focus, with NatWest working with housing associations and local partners to accelerate delivery and improve the performance of existing stock.
The commitment builds on the bank’s £10 billion national lending ambition for housing associations, aimed at supporting new homes and retrofitting.
Other areas of focus include mobility and transport, covering rail, road and airport infrastructure, vehicle charging and local transport schemes.
NatWest will also target energy and power systems, including clean power generation, energy storage and grid upgrades, as well as climate resilience and decarbonisation through energy-efficiency, retrofit, renewable technology, flood defences, wastewater systems and land regeneration.
The bank said research it had commissioned showed almost two-thirds, 65%, of senior business decision makers believed giving regional leaders more control over funding and investment decisions would increase investor confidence.
It also said 65% of business leaders would be more likely to invest where funding was stable and long term.
NatWest said confidence was already higher in the North of England, where the most established Mayoral Combined Authorities are based, and said the fiscal devolution roadmap should phase in further powers where there was strong governance, business engagement and a track record of delivery.
Thwaite said: “This commitment reflects our confidence in the North as a growth engine for the UK. We can see the strength of ambition across the region, and the scale of projects coming forward in housing, transport, energy and infrastructure.
“NatWest Group has deep roots in the North and an on-the-ground presence across its many communities, so we understand both the opportunity and what it takes to deliver it. Our role isn’t just to provide finance, it’s to connect capital with local ambition — working in partnership with combined authorities, business and investment partners to accelerate growth.”
Oliver Holbourn, chief executive at National Wealth Fund, said: “The National Wealth Fund is committed to driving economic growth as we transition to clean energy; while ensuring we develop the businesses, skills and capabilities that will be crucial to unlocking the future of the UK.
“That means, through providing investment and expert advice and supporting projects and local authorities, many of which are in our former industrial heartlands. NatWest Group’s approach very much aligns with these ambitions and we welcome it.”
Kim McGuinness, chair of The Great North and North East Mayor, said: “Across the North, we have the talent, innovation and ambition to lead the UK’s next era of growth and prosperity. NatWest Group’s investment and commitment to the North shows us investors see the huge, untapped potential across the North of England and the massive prize on offer from backing our regions.”
NatWest said it would continue to work with combined authorities and delivery partners after the summit to progress priority schemes and bring forward additional sources of private capital.
The bank said its existing work in the North included support for Newcastle International Airport as part of a £364 million sustainable finance package. NatWest acted as sole debt adviser and a top-tier lender, backing the airport’s transition to net zero by 2035.
The financing included a £15 million green loan to support the next phase of the airport’s solar farm and its move towards electric vehicles.
NatWest has also provided a £106 million funding package to Broadacres Housing Association, a North Yorkshire-based provider that owns and manages more than 6,800 homes across rural and coastal communities in the North of England.
The package combines long-term lending with a revolving credit facility and includes a social loan as part of NatWest Group’s £1 billion commitment to the housing sector.
Broadacres delivered 112 homes in the year to March 2026, including around 27 social homes.
