70% of financial institutions lost clients last year because onboarding took too long. That's the highest figure Fenergo has ever recorded, and it has climbed from 48% in just two years. The uncomfortable part: most of that delay isn't compliance. It's data gathering.

The FCA's landmark Mills Review sets out how AI will transform retail financial services by 2030: continuous, delegated, agent-led. But buried beneath the headlines about autonomy is a quieter, more urgent finding: none of it works without trusted, structured customer data. For lenders and brokers, that makes the next move surprisingly clear.

The timing couldn’t be more relevant. As the sector moves beyond past conduct challenges, the focus is shifting to how lenders build stronger, more transparent and more competitive lending processes for the future.

In 2026 the FCA loosened mortgage affordability rules, brought buy now pay later inside the regulatory perimeter, and confirmed a £9.1 billion motor finance redress scheme. Three unrelated decisions on the surface. Underneath, all three move the same burden onto lenders. The question is no longer "did you follow the rule". It is "can you show what you knew about this customer, and prove it".

Last week we brought together Andrew Lloyd (Fignum) and Dan Frodsham (Finclusion) to talk about something the motor finance industry tends to talk around: it is not risk that is the problem, it is how risk is measured. Here is what stood out from the conversation.

Discover the key insights from our recent webinar on practical innovation in mortgages. Learn how brokers and lenders are using AI and automation to streamline processes, speed up decision-making, and improve customer experiences .