April Mortgages has introduced a distribution structure designed to give advisers clear relationships, practical day-to-day support and direct access to decision-makers.

The new model brings together three areas: strategic relationship leadership, focused service improvement and direct underwriting access.

It will support April’s next phase of growth while making the lender even easier for advisers and intermediary partners to work with.

GB Bank has reached £1bn in lending, marking a milestone for the specialist bank in under two and a half years since May 2024.

The milestone follows a period of continued expansion for the specialist bank, as it broadened its property-backed lending proposition and strengthened its relationships with the intermediary market.

The milestone comes after a demanding period for the UK property finance market, with higher funding costs and greater caution across the lending sector. Its growth over that period has been built on individually underwritten cases, close working relationships with intermediaries and the commitment of its people to delivering for customers.

Hampshire Trust Bank (HTB) has promoted Josh Swaby to lending manager within its development finance team.

He has been promoted from being business development manager and will work across the North and the Midlands.

Swaby joined HTB in June 2022 as a relationship manager before moving into business development in January 2024. Prior to joining the bank, he spent almost four years at NatWest Group as an assistant relationship manager.

Brilliant Solutions has become the latest firm to join the Equity Release Council, bringing its experience of working with advisers and lenders across the mortgage market.

The mortgage club and specialist distributor works with advisers across the UK, providing access to a range of lenders and mortgage products.

By joining the council, Brilliant Solutions will contribute its experience of working with advisers and lenders in the specialist mortgage market, supporting closer collaboration and knowledge-sharing across the wider later life lending market.

Mortgage Brain has entered a strategic partnership with Plannr to integrate the latest versions of its Sourcing Brain, Criteria Brain and Affordability Brain APIs.

With the APIs built into Plannr, advisers can search products, check lender criteria and assess affordability without leaving the system they already work in. The first phase of this integration allows launch Sourcing Brain directly from their client records in Plannr; finding a suitable product for their clients, and they associating the mortgage product to a case and create a proposed mortgage plan.

The partnership reflects Mortgage Brain’s continued commitment to working with technology partners, lenders and networks to deliver joined-up solutions that make the mortgage process simpler for advisers and their clients.

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