Capital you can count on

Our series of white paper reports focus on the challenges and opportunities facing key sectors supporting communities across the UK.

People, priorities, and the future of banking

With public finances under increasing pressure, private finance has become essential to driving regeneration and long‑term growth. Through research and YouGov polling, we explored the role banking can play in national renewal and wanted to understand what really matters to the public. We asked: What are your biggest concerns? Which services feel most under strain? Where is investment needed most?

This work has led to a series of white paper reports focused on the challenges and opportunities facing key sectors. All reports will be published below, setting out both the scale of the challenges ahead and the crucial role private finance must play in supporting organisations that deliver vital services across the UK.

Unity Trust Bank Care Homes Report

With people statistically living longer than ever before, the demand for residential care has increased. It’s estimated that up to a fifth of the population will rely on care homes in the future – not just to provide food and shelter, but to provide a good quality of life too.

From demographic imbalances to rural “care deserts”, our white paper reveals action is urgently needed now to prevent shortages becoming entrenched. It calls for care homes to be designated “critical infrastructure” and given the same priority as housing, transport and energy.

Key highlights from the report

  • England faces a geographic care‑home shortage: many of the oldest populations and fastest‑ageing areas have the weakest provision.
  • Current projections suggest a national shortfall: of up to 26,000 beds by 2046 if provision does not expand in line with demographic change.
  • Rural and coastal “care deserts” are emerging: in communities where older populations are growing rapidly but care infrastructure has not kept pace.
  • There is a growing risk of “care traps”: places that are attractive retirement destinations in early later life, but which may struggle to support residents as care needs intensify.
  • Action is needed now: care home provision takes years to expand – requiring land, planning consent, finance, construction capacity and workforce availability.

Finance for the future

The challenges facing the UK are long-standing and cannot be solved by public funding alone. Private finance has a crucial role in supporting regeneration, strengthening economic resilience and enabling sustainable growth.

When something matters, it deserves lasting support. The communities, services and shared future we care about need capital that remains steady – capital you can count on – rather than shifting with changing circumstances.

Unity Trust Bank represents a different approach, offering banking built for investment that helps people and places thrive again.

Renewal is not abstract. It is rooted in local life and begins with the decisions we make together. Each of us can influence the future through the choices we make about where we place our money, which is why who you bank with matters.

The following case studies show real‑world examples of how targeted investment, specialist lending and community‑focused finance from Unity are helping care homes strengthen local economies, enhance essential services and create long‑term social value.

What is national renewal?

The term “national renewal” refers to fixing and modernising things that people rely on so that the UK is stronger, more prosperous and works better in the future, including:

  • Strengthening essential public services.
  • Supporting local regeneration.
  • Improving access to housing and healthcare.
  • Helping communities and small businesses thrive.

Lenore Care Home

Jack and Grace Jenkinson took over Lenore Care Home in Whitley Bay in 2019 when Grace’s parents put it up for sale. The couple have since purchased five more homes thanks to seven figure funding Unity.

Jack said: “Unity are keen to support smaller care facilities and have specialist sector knowledge which is great as they already know the ins and outs of the industry. Our relationship manager has been very pro-active and supportive.”

Y&M Care

After Mekala and Sena Satheswaran, directors of Y&M Care, transformed the fortunes of a failing care facility in Surrey, they went on to add a second property to their portfolio thanks to six-figure care home financing from Unity Trust Bank.

Mekala said: “We want to make a difference to people’s lives and ensure that their later years are as comfortable and meaningful as possible. So, it’s important that our bank is community-orientated and not just about the finance.”

A bank you can trust

 

For financial strength

We secured an investment‑grade rating of BBB‑ from Fitch Ratings in July 2025, reflecting our financial strength and prudent approach to risk.

For sustainable finance

In June 2025, we were recognised for leadership in Net Zero finance, following The King’s Award for Enterprise: Sustainable Development in May 2024 for our long‑standing social, economic and environmental contribution.

For ethical banking

We were awarded the ‘Good Egg’ mark from the responsible finance site, Good With Money, in June 2025, in recognition of our ethical business practices.

For service excellence

In January 2026, we were awarded the ICS ServiceMark for consistently high levels of customer satisfaction and service quality, based on independent assessment and customer feedback.