Hi everyone. I can’t quite believe we’re at the end of another quarter, and that 2026 is now halfway over. And that must mean it’s time for me to put together my regular recap of what’s been going on, and what I’m looking forward to.

Let’s jump straight in.

DA CONFERENCE 2026

One word: amazing. Our 2026 DA Conference & Awards in Birmingham on 6 May was one of those days that reminds you exactly why we do what we do.

Having so many of you in one room — firms from right across the UK that make up PMS and Bankhall, collectively serving thousands of clients the length and breadth of the country — is genuinely powerful. It matters. You matter.

The level of support from so many of you in taking time out of your offices to be there meant a great deal. The fact that you choose to show up, to engage, and to invest time in the wider community speaks volumes about what we have built together. That is not something we take lightly.

The awards ceremony was a highlight. A huge congratulations to every single one of our winning firms — you should be enormously proud, and it was a privilege to celebrate those achievements together.

On the business side, the conference made clear just how much is going on in the mortgage market right now. Remortgage and product transfer volumes are significant, and the dynamics around lender pricing have been moving fast.

Over recent months we saw lenders actively reprice upwards as swap rates spiked — and now, with inflation softening and energy market tensions easing slightly, that movement is beginning to reverse. The major lenders are cutting again. It remains volatile, but the direction of travel is encouraging for the borrowers we serve.

BRITISH MORTGAGE AWARDS — 2 JULY

I’m genuinely touched to have been nominated in the Business Leader – Mortgage Club category at this year’s British Mortgage Awards on 2 July, and I want to say a heartfelt thank you for the support I’ve received since nominations were announced. It truly means the world.

If I’m lucky enough to win, let me be very clear about something: it’s an award that belongs to all of us. It is a direct reflection of your loyalty, your trust, and the incredible partnerships we have built over the years.

I look forward to celebrating with everyone who is there on the night — fingers very firmly crossed! 

MARKETING TOOLKITS — WHAT’S LAUNCHED & WHAT’S COMING

We’ve been busy building out a growing suite of marketing toolkits designed to help your businesses have better, more confident conversations with clients — and the momentum is building nicely.

Most recently, we launched our income protection toolkit. The timing feels right: we’re in a period where protection conversations are becoming increasingly important, and having quality, ready-made resources to support those discussions makes a real difference in practice.

Alongside this, we’re seeing strong and growing interest in the whole of life market — and the reasons are clear. The planned inclusion of pension pots within inheritance tax from 2027, combined with the continued freeze of the nil-rate threshold at £325,000, has prompted a meaningful shift in how clients are thinking about estate planning.

Online searches for life insurance as an IHT planning tool have surged sharply in recent months, and the whole of life policy — particularly written in trust — is one of the most effective tools available. If you’re not already having these conversations proactively with your clients, now is the moment to start.

There’s plenty more to come in Q3, and we’re excited to share what’s in the pipeline. If you’d like any additional insight or support in the meantime, please reach out to your RKAM — they’re well placed to help you make the most of these opportunities.

Q3 EVENTS

Our Mortgage & Protection Live events for Q3 are now available to book, and I’d love to see as many of you there as possible. These events are a genuine opportunity to connect with peers, hear the latest market insight, and step away from the day-to-day for a few hours. They’re always worthwhile — and they’re free.

And, of course, we have a number of virtual learning events held each month, where you can stay on top of change in our industry and meet directly with experts from our lender and provider partners.

Book now

MARKET OUTLOOK — WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The wider picture remains genuinely uncertain, and I want to be straight with you about that.

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has had real knock-on effects — oil and energy prices have been volatile, inflation has remained stickier than hoped, and whilst the Bank of England elected to hold the base rate of interest at 3.75% on 18 June, it’s clear from the comments that all options remain on the table as we look ahead; yes, a treaty has been signed and we all hope that resolves matters, but we have seen time and again that nothing is guaranteed. Still, as long as it holds, it will have meaningful impact on market sentiment and our forward outlook.

The possibility of a rate rise — rather than cuts — cannot be ruled out. Inflation remains above the Bank’s target and oil and gas prices may remain elevated in the medium—term. That will inevitably flows through to broader inflation dynamics. The Bank’s next decision lands on Thursday 30 July.

What does that mean in practice? Fixed mortgage pricing is driven by swap rates, not the base rate directly — and swap rates have eased modestly over the past month as inflation data softened (CPI fell to 2.8% in April, down from 3.3% in March). That’s given the major lenders — NatWest, Barclays, TSB, Santander among them — room to cut fixed rates again.

But the direction could reverse quickly if the outlook deteriorates, and the current thinking suggests that 2-year fixed rates in the second half of 2026 may represent better value for your clients than a 5-year fix. For your clients approaching a remortgage, the advice to review options early and lock in a rate now while keeping it under review has never been more relevant.

That last number is the one that matters most for your client conversations. Around five million fixed-rate deals are due to expire by the end of this year — and those sitting on their hands face an average standard variable rate of close to 8%. The opportunity here is enormous, and it is very much live right now. The cessation rate environment alone should generate substantial activity for your businesses over the coming months.

The market is tentatively holding up, and price growth — while measured — continues. The big maturities pipeline is real, and advisers who are actively engaging their remortgage-due clients will be the ones that benefit most.

Finally — please do take the time to enjoy the summer when it comes. We’ve all worked hard, there’s a lot happening, and you deserve the break. But do come back rested, because the back half of this year is going to be busy in all the right ways.

Thank you, as always, for everything. It is a genuine privilege.

— Claire