MFI sterling net lending to individuals (amount outstanding), United Kingdom
MFI sterling net lending to individuals in the United Kingdom was £1,700.8 bn in , up 0.3% from and up 3.7% from a year earlier. Over the latest 12 readings it moved between £1,644.8 bn and £1,700.8 bn. Source: Bank of England, Bank of England Database LPMB3RE; history from .
Key takeaways
- MFI sterling net lending to individuals at £1,700.8 bn in beats 100% of readings since (Bank of England).
- Against a ten-year average of £1,483.4 bn, MFI sterling net lending to individuals is above that norm by £217.4 bn (Bank of England).
- MFI sterling net lending to individuals has risen for 16 readings in a row up to (Bank of England).
What this indicator is and why it matters
MFI sterling net lending to individuals, amount outstanding, is the total that banks and building societies (monetary financial institutions) have lent to UK households, covering both mortgages and consumer credit. The Bank of England publishes it monthly, seasonally adjusted (series LPMB3RE).
Mortgages make up the large majority of it, so the series is a measure of UK household debt held by the banking system and of banks' exposure to the housing market. Its growth reflects house purchase activity, remortgaging and the appetite of lenders, and it is a starting point for judging household leverage alongside income.
Its coverage has limits. It covers lending by banks and building societies only, so loans made by other lenders, such as specialist mortgage lenders funded outside the banking system, are not included, and loans that banks have securitized may be treated differently from those they keep. And the level is an amount outstanding, which changes with write-offs and loan transfers as well as with new lending; the net secured lending page shows the monthly flow of mortgage lending directly. The figure is nominal, so it grows with house prices even when household debt is stable relative to income.
Where it sits in history
MFI sterling net lending to individuals is at its highest since the series starts in . Within ten years, MFI sterling net lending to individuals beats 100% of readings.
| Window | Latest is higher than | Average | Highest | Lowest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Since January 2006 | 100% of readings | £1,276.1 bn | £1,700.8 bn | £860.1 bn |
| Last ten years | 100% of readings | £1,483.4 bn | £1,700.8 bn | £1,269.3 bn |
| Last five years | 100% of readings | £1,587.7 bn | £1,700.8 bn | £1,482.6 bn |
- MFI sterling net lending to individuals (amount outstanding) £1,701bn
Recent readings
Last five years
- MFI sterling net lending to individuals (amount outstanding) £1,701bn
Latest readings
| Period | Value | Change from previous |
|---|---|---|
| £1,700.8 bn | +0.3% | |
| £1,696.2 bn | +0.3% | |
| £1,690.9 bn | +0.4% | |
| £1,683.5 bn | +0.2% | |
| £1,680.2 bn | +0.2% | |
| £1,677.1 bn | +0.4% | |
| £1,669.8 bn | +0.3% | |
| £1,664.4 bn | +0.3% | |
| £1,659.0 bn | +0.3% | |
| £1,653.3 bn | +0.2% | |
| £1,650.1 bn | +0.3% | |
| £1,644.8 bn | +0.2% | |
| £1,640.7 bn | +0.3% |
Annual averages
By calendar-year average, MFI sterling net lending to individuals peaked in (£1,633.1 bn) and bottomed in (£884.6 bn). 2026 to date: £1,682.9 bn, after £1,633.1 bn in 2025.
| Year | Average | Low | High | Readings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (part year) | £1,682.9 bn | £1,664.4 bn | £1,700.8 bn | 8 |
| 2025 | £1,633.1 bn | £1,604.4 bn | £1,659.0 bn | 12 |
| 2024 | £1,585.9 bn | £1,574.1 bn | £1,598.2 bn | 12 |
| 2023 | £1,572.1 bn | £1,566.4 bn | £1,575.5 bn | 12 |
| 2022 | £1,536.0 bn | £1,505.3 bn | £1,561.7 bn | 12 |
| 2021 | £1,475.1 bn | £1,443.2 bn | £1,499.5 bn | 12 |
| 2020 | £1,427.5 bn | £1,420.4 bn | £1,440.3 bn | 12 |
| 2019 | £1,402.0 bn | £1,383.8 bn | £1,421.5 bn | 12 |
| 2018 | £1,359.9 bn | £1,340.1 bn | £1,380.7 bn | 12 |
| 2017 | £1,312.4 bn | £1,287.5 bn | £1,337.5 bn | 12 |
| 2016 | £1,261.8 bn | £1,234.9 bn | £1,283.2 bn | 12 |
| 2015 | £1,206.9 bn | £1,189.7 bn | £1,229.8 bn | 12 |
| 2014 | £1,173.5 bn | £1,158.3 bn | £1,189.5 bn | 12 |
| 2013 | £1,146.4 bn | £1,140.8 bn | £1,156.1 bn | 12 |
| 2012 | £1,140.3 bn | £1,132.5 bn | £1,146.8 bn | 12 |
| 2011 | £1,132.3 bn | £1,131.2 bn | £1,133.4 bn | 12 |
| 2010 | £1,151.2 bn | £1,132.4 bn | £1,164.6 bn | 12 |
| 2009 | £973.9 bn | £900.0 bn | £1,015.0 bn | 12 |
| 2008 | £947.3 bn | £903.2 bn | £965.6 bn | 12 |
| 2007 | £928.4 bn | £915.6 bn | £949.4 bn | 12 |
| 2006 | £884.6 bn | £860.1 bn | £913.6 bn | 12 |
How is it measured?
Amount outstanding of monetary financial institutions' sterling net lending to individuals.
Bank of England publishes MFI sterling net lending to individuals monthly in Bank of England Database LPMB3RE, in GBP and is seasonally adjusted. Code: LPMB3RE. Method for MFI sterling net lending to individuals.
Questions
How high is MFI sterling net lending to individuals in the United Kingdom now?
£1,700.8 bn in (Bank of England), up 3.7% on a year earlier.
Is MFI sterling net lending to individuals high by historical standards?
MFI sterling net lending to individuals beats 100% of readings since ; its peak was £1,700.8 bn (), its low £860.1 bn ().
When is MFI sterling net lending to individuals updated?
Monthly, in Bank of England Database LPMB3RE. Next reading: September 2026.
Where can I check MFI sterling net lending to individuals at the source?
Bank of England data, code LPMB3RE.