Britain’s Newest Bank, thisbank, Launches with Competitive Savings Rates for UK Savers

26/01/2026, London – A new name has arrived in UK banking, thisbank, has officially launched as a British bank committed to common-sense, human-centric banking, offering customers competitive savings rates and a refreshing approach built on simplicity, trust, and people-first service.

thisbank has been created by transforming the UK arm of JN Bank under new leadership and ownership. Backed by investment from the UK and the US, the bank combines international experience with a distinctly British outlook.

Under the leadership of CEO Chris Waring, who brings extensive experience from Lloyds, Barclays, and private equity, and Chief Transformation Officer Declan Halton-Woodward, a former private banker and senior public servant, thisbank is designed to serve everyday savers with clarity, fairness, and a human touch.

At thisbank, the philosophy is simple, humans are the focus, complexity is understood and simplified into decision making. Customers can always speak directly to a person where needed because “humans are complex, and we have humans who can navigate those complexities.”

“We’ve built thisbank around people. While we are technology forward, our approach will always be customer-first. Our goal is to deliver sustainable value and a service that feels human, not transactional” said Chris Waring, CEO.

thisbank launches with a suite of Easy Access and Fixed-Term savings products, with competitive rates across  2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-year deposits, and raising hundreds of millions of pounds in new deposits, with a minimum deposit starting at £1 and a maximum of £500,000.

The bank’s investment strategy sets it apart, focusing on specialist asset classes such as mortgages, and other specialised credit opportunities that require more attention and expertise than other banks can offer.

“Our promise is clear, we’ll always aim to offer a competitive savings propositions, we make sure things are simple, easy to interact with and understood – where our customers know we are working for them” added Chief Transformation Officer, Declan Halton-Woodward.

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Notes to Editor

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About thisbank:

thisbank is a UK-authorised bank built on decades of banking heritage, re-launched under new ownership and leadership following a strategic transition in late 2024. Its roots trace back to the founding of the Westmoreland Building Society in the 19th century, which later evolved into the JN Group and, subsequently JN Bank UK, which launched in the UK in 2018, earning its banking licence in 2019.

In 2024, the bank was sold and is no longer part of its former group. Following the sale, the business entered a new chapter with fresh investment, new leadership a renewed strategic direction. In 2025 the bank underwent a comprehensive transformation programme, culminating in the launch of thisbank. In less than 12 months under the new ownership and leadership, the bank has turnaround from approx. £40m in assets to over £500m and moved from £1m a month loss, to trading profitably for the first time in its history.

thisbank combines a modern brand and technology platform with deep sector experience, led by a seasoned management team drawn from some of the UK’s largest financial institutions. Through its partnerships with more than 100 established retail partners, the bank has cultivated over 45,000 retail lending customers, and through a competitive rates tens of thousands of savings customers. thisbank is launched with a focus on simplicity, transparency and customer understanding.

With clear long-term vision and strengthened leadership, thisbank aims to support people who are often underserved by traditional banking, offering products designed around real lives rather than rigid mass-market models. While the name and look are new, the foundations are built on decades of fairer, more personal banking – and a commitment to doing things better.

About Chris Waring:

Chris is an experienced banking leader, with substantial experience of leading specialist finance businesses. Chris joined what was then JN Bank in early 2023 as Chief Commercial Officer bringing with him a wealth of experience in financial services. He developed Honeycomb Finance that was sold  to Allium Money and ultimately to Tandem Bank in 2020. As Commercial Director at the 118 118 Group, Chris helped launch the 118 118 Money brand and business.

Chris has held director level positions in financial services, retail and legal firms. In 2024 Chris was appointed ‘Managing Director, Banking’ to support the organisation’s future strategy and to drive the growth of the business. In 2025, Chris was appointed as CEO to lead the bank into its next stage of growth, focused on delivering exceptional value and fostering long-term relationships with customers.

About Declan Halton-Woodward:

Declan is leader in transformation, governance, and operations with a career spanning banking, public service, and start-ups. He has held senior roles in banking, including Head of Business Operations and Company Secretary, where he supported executives on governance, efficiency, and crisis management. He also serves as a board director at Tend VR, a health-tech start up, advising on operations, scaling, and investments. Declan joined the bank in 2024 to help manage the sale of the bank away from the Jamaica National Group and was appointed Chief Transformation Officer in 2025, to lead the banks wide-ranging transformation plan.

Declan has a proven record of leading organisations through change and delivering practical outcomes. At Handelsbanken, he helped steer business operations and played a key role in the bank’s response to the coronavirus crisis. As a senior volunteer police officer in the Metropolitan Police, he led more than 2,500 officers, rising to the rank of Special Assistant Chief Officer, planning and executing operations in high-risk environments across London.