Santander UK has appointed Ben Merritt as head of mortgage trading.

Merritt (pictured) will report to David Morris, head of homes at Santander UK, and will be responsible for executing the lender’s mortgage strategy.

His remit includes oversight of trading performance across the mortgage portfolio, with a focus on retention, customer relationships and long-term portfolio value.

He brings more than 20 years’ experience in financial services, including 15 years in the mortgage sector.

He began his career in insurance before moving into roles at Insurety and Cattles PLC. He joined Yorkshire Building Society in 2010 as a branch manager and went on to hold a number of senior mortgage roles, including leading the group mortgage acquisition team, before being appointed director of mortgages.

He also previously served as an executive director at Accord.

Morris said: “I am delighted to welcome Ben to the team. He brings a huge amount of experience, most recently at Yorkshire Building Society where he covered both intermediary and direct brands.

“We kicked off the year with our updated Broker Pledges, followed by the launch of ‘My First Mortgage’ – making us the only major lender to support customers above 95%.

“We have even more ambitious plans for the rest of the year, and I know Ben’s expertise will be instrumental as we continue to evolve our mortgage proposition and deliver clear value for our broker partners and customers.”

Merritt added: “I’m excited to bring my experience from the past 15 years to Santander and find ways we can develop its mortgage offering for its new and existing customer base.

“The moves Santander has made in the last year have not gone unnoticed, with a particular focus on our broker market and I’m looking forward to showcasing how Santander’s products can truly help their clients on their homeownership journey as we move through 2026.”