Senior couple flying a kite in a field.

Funding the future of care

We’re helping experienced senior living operators make the most of opportunities, by supporting with acquisitions, expansions, and everything in between. 

Business finance built for the senior living sector

Our business loans are built with the care industry in mind, so property developers, operators, residents, and whole communities can benefit from best-in-class care homes and retirement villages. We offer business finance ranging from £250,000 to tens of millions.

So, whether you’re looking for debt finance to expand, funds to improve on a current care home, or you’re ready to fund your new development project, we’re here to help make it happen.

A loan that follows your life cycle

We provide loan facilities that support the full life cycle of your care home, retirement village or any other senior care asset.

That means you’ll only need one bespoke loan that funds you from the moment you find the perfect plot of land, to welcoming your first residents, and operating your business.

Capital expenditure to invest in the future

Operators in the senior living sector can rely on us for capital to improve new and existing care facilities.

We also fund experts in the sector planning to take over and convert other residential properties, to bring them up to high standards.

Terms that work for you

When it comes to funding care, we look beyond collateral, taking into account the future growth potential of a business.

We’re not blinkered by assets like other high street lenders, we partner with passionate trailblazers to help them grow. That means we’re more flexible when it comes to loan security packages.

Umbrella facilities for ongoing projects

By partnering with OakNorth you can finance multiple development projects using long-term umbrella loan facilities.

This means you won’t have to raise capital on a project-by-project basis, saving you time and money and delivering peace of mind.

215 M

£ lent to the sector to date

30

experienced operators funded

437 +

new beds created in 2023

26

specialist care facilities created

33 +

UK locations funded

Funding that makes a difference

Since the early days of OakNorth, we’ve been helping care home owners build their businesses, exceed their aspirations and realise new revenue opportunities.

Meet Chris, Chairman of Park Lane Healthcare

We were able to offer them the finance they needed quickly to carry on building welcoming senior living homes for their business which caring is at the heart of.

View transcript

Parklane Health Care is a group of care homes in the North of England, largely in Yorkshire, and one in Lancashire. We are a family company, 17 years we’ve been operating care homes, and prior to that I was a commercial finance broker in the healthcare sector.

 

I did a Dementia Studies degree in my spare time, and I didn’t do it for a better job or to get a better CV or higher pay – I’m the chairman.  I did it because I wanted to understand what the residents living with dementia were going through. It’s not just a private company, making money as a business. It is a business, but it’s a caring business.

 

For Lavender Fields Care Village Limited, the idea was to be able to put everything we’ve learned into it from the ground up, which is massive rooms, lovely ensuite shower facilities, loads of day space, and lots of entertainment on-site to allow people not to have to go to the high street but the high street comes to them.

 

We went to OakNorth because it was formed by an entrepreneur for entrepreneurs. We had the ability to actually speak to the entire credit lending committee where you can actually pitch your ideas and your dreams and aspirations face to face with the person signing off the check. For us that’s priceless. Very smooth process. A lot of good transparency with the lawyers and the accountants and everybody. The team OakNorth jumped on everything the minute that we sent it through. They had the refreshing attitude from the start, they gave me three minutes to say why they should be lending to me. I love that.

 

They boasted to us the turnaround was quick. We were sceptical, sometimes as a businessman you can be a cynic, but boy were they quick. They really did jump on everything really really fast. Very, very unique in the banking sector I promise you.

 

 

Raising the profile of senior care across the UK

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Tailored finance to help your senior living business grow

We’re entrepreneurs at heart, so we build our care home and retirement living loans with business owners front and centre.

That means no inflexible and inefficient loan facilities, no-time wasting, and no ambiguity. Just straightforward funding without giving up equity.

QUICK ACCESS TO CASH

Get funded faster

Whether it’s closing a deal on a new acquisition or completing a management buyout, care home financing relies on quick turnarounds.

When you find the perfect plot for your next care home, you don’t want to wait months to find out if it’s attainable. We can have the funds in your account in weeks, so you can close deals and agree terms on your next project.

Get started

The OakNorth team operated quickly and transparently, with an entrepreneurial approach and we hope to work closely with them on future developments.

Matthew Harrison, Founder of Midway Care Group

HIGHLY CUSTOMISED SOLUTIONS

Tailor your finance to your future

Your care home financing might start with property development, or an acquisition but it won’t always end there.

We’ll fund you from start to future, with flexible loan facilities that span the full length of your project. It saves you time, money and the headache that comes with project-by-project capital.

Get started

Following several conversations with various banks, we realised OakNorth was one of the few lenders which could provide us with a facility that was bespoke to our unique requirements. This flexibility will significantly impact our growth ambitions.

Richard Williams, CEO of Brigid Investments

A TRANSPARENT PROCESS

Meet key decision makers

Traditional banks leave you waiting weeks or months for answers.

We involve you throughout the process so you know where you stand at every step of the journey. We won’t give you confusing or dead-end answers, in fact, for business loans over a certain amount you can even meet our Credit Committee.

Get started

EXPERTS THAT UNDERSTAND BUSINESS GROWTH

Reach success with the right people

Our debt finance team has won awards for supporting our partners in the senior living space.

They understand the industry, have a robust track record, and speak the same language as you. Their long-standing experience means they’ll only offer you funding options that make sense for your growth.

Get started

Setting off on our journey to create ultra-sustainable and socially impactful extra care communities, it was essential that we chose OakNorth Bank, as they share our values and vision.

Aurélien Collignon, Partner of FORE Partnership

There is a clear need for new specialist dementia care homes which is why we’re delighted to be breaking ground on this new project and are grateful for OakNorth Bank’s ongoing support.

Andy Rogers, COO and Group Treasurer of Frogmore

Providing excellent care facilities is only going to become more vital. Thanks to the support from OakNorth Bank, we’re now able to expand our portfolio of care homes ahead of schedule and increase the amount of much-needed care facilities in the local area.

Graeme Lee, Founder and Group CEO of Springfield Healthcare

Fund your next move today

If you have a clear vision for growth in the care sector, we can make it happen. Speak to a member of our team and we’ll help you kickstart your next move. 

FAQs

Yes, we’ve worked with a range of care home operators to refurbish and improve their premises.

Yes, whether you’re looking to buy an existing care home or purchase a site to build one yourself, we offer a host of different lending facilities to help you do just that. 

The cost of your loan is based on what kind of borrower you are, or your risk profile, which depends on factors like credit history, industry sector and more. We focus on speed, flexibility and competitive terms over price.

Depending on factors like your business’ risk profile and what you need the funding for, we can provide amortising loans, where you gradually pay off your debt with regular payments, as well as non-amortising loans, where you pay off the loan in a lump sum.

Unlike many other high street banks, we won’t make you transfer your business banking over to us, so you can apply for a loan quickly and easily.