Merritt joins from Yorkshire Building Society, where he worked for over 15 years, spending the last four years as its director of mortgages.
He has more than 20 years of experience in financial services.
Merritt will report to David Morris, head of homes at Santander UK, and will also oversee the bank’s trading performance across the mortgage portfolio, develop its retention strategy and strengthen customer relationships.
For the 2025 financial year, Santander UK reported an increase in gross mortgage lending, rising from £16.1bn in 2024 to £25.3bn.
Morris said: “I am delighted to welcome Ben to the team. He brings a huge amount of experience, most recently at Yorkshire Building Society, where he covered both intermediary and direct brands.
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“We kicked off the year with our updated Broker Pledges, followed by the launch of ‘My First Mortgage’ – making us the only major lender to support customers above 95%. We have even more ambitious plans for the rest of the year, and I know Ben’s expertise will be instrumental as we continue to evolve our mortgage proposition and deliver clear value for our broker partners and customers.”
Merritt (pictured) added: “I’m excited to bring my experience from the past 15 years to Santander and find ways we can develop its mortgage offering for its new and existing customer base.
“The moves Santander has made in the last year have not gone unnoticed, with a particular focus on our broker market, and I’m looking forward to showcasing how Santander’s products can truly help their clients on their homeownership journey as we move through 2026.”
This week, the lender released a 98% loan-to-value (LTV) mortgage for first-time buyers.
