Norton Home Loans

Norton Home Loans is designed for borrowers who do not meet the standard criteria of high street lenders. This includes people with credit blips such as CCJs, defaults, or historic mortgage arrears; borrowers whose income comes partly or entirely from benefits or pensions; self-employed applicants with as little as one year of trading history; and those on zero-hours contracts or with variable income. Norton also considers borrowers who have previously been subject to a debt management plan, provided six months of satisfactory conduct can be evidenced.

Norton will not lend to everyone who applies. Borrowers with recent or undischarged bankruptcy (within the last three years), a recent Debt Relief Order (within two years), or an active IVA that has not yet reached month 54 are outside the current criteria. The minimum credit score across all plans is 300. Within those outer limits, Norton's tiered plan structure means a case is assessed against the most suitable plan for the borrower's credit profile, rather than resulting in a binary approval or decline.

Norton's second charge mortgages start from £3,000, which is lower than most second charge lenders who typically set minimums of £10,000 or above. The maximum loan amount depends on the lending plan that applies to a borrower's credit profile; the April 2026 lending plans show net loan maximums per plan, with Plan C capped at £55,000 and most other plans at a higher level. The gross amount including fees added to the loan may be higher. A broker can confirm the likely maximum for a specific case before any formal application is made.

Repayment terms run from one year to 25 years. The one-year minimum is unusual in the second charge market where most lenders set a minimum of three to five years. Shorter terms suit borrowers who need capital for a defined purpose and want to repay quickly without being locked in. The loan term must not extend past the borrower's 85th birthday where income is used in the affordability calculation. The secured loan calculator can help illustrate monthly repayment figures at different amounts and terms.

Norton uses an adverse unit system to assess credit profiles. One adverse unit equals one CCJ or default over £300 in the last 12 months, one month of mortgage or secured loan arrears in the last 12 months, or unsecured credit with three or more current missed payments over £300. Satisfied defaults and CCJs under £300 are ignored entirely. Mail order, utility, and communications arrears and defaults are also disregarded across all plans. This means a borrower may have entries on their credit file that do not affect the plan available to them at all.

The Optimal plans require zero adverse units. Plan A also requires zero adverse units but has a lower minimum income and lower credit score threshold than the Optimal range. Plan B accommodates a maximum of one adverse unit; Plan C a maximum of two. All plans require a minimum Equifax credit score of 300. The plan that applies determines the maximum LTV and, in practice, the rate. A broker can review the credit file before submission to identify the most appropriate plan and manage expectations accordingly. The guide to how secured loans affect your credit score explains what applying and taking out a secured loan does to your credit profile.

Yes to both. Self-employed borrowers are considered where they have been trading for a minimum of one year. Evidence required includes SA302 tax calculations, accountant certificates, or company accounts depending on the trading structure, along with at least three months of business bank statements. Sole traders, limited company directors, and contractors all fall within the accepted employment types. The guide to secured loans for self-employed borrowers covers income evidence requirements in more detail.

Benefit income is accepted across all plans with the exception of Jobseeker's Allowance. Universal Credit is accepted. Personal Independence Payment is accepted. Employment and Support Allowance can be used alongside PIP, or where it can be proven to be permanent and sustainable. On the Optimal plans, benefit income must represent less than 50% of total household income. On Plans B and C, benefit income can represent 50% or more of total income, which means the loan is accessible to households whose primary income source is benefits. All income must be evidenced and subject to affordability assessment.

The Optimal plans (Zero, 1, and 2) are for borrowers with the cleanest credit profiles. They require no adverse units, carry higher minimum credit score thresholds (275 to 450), and have minimum income requirements of £25,000 to £30,000. In return, they offer the most competitive rates Norton publishes and the highest available LTV, with HLTV variants on Optimal 1 and 2 going up to 85% combined LTV. The Optimal plans do not accommodate current debt management plans or DAS arrangements.

Plans A, B, and C are for borrowers with more adverse credit history or lower credit scores. Plan A requires no adverse units but has a lower minimum credit score (225 to 250) and no plan-level minimum income. Plans B and C accommodate one and two adverse units respectively. The maximum LTV on these plans is lower (75% to 80%), and the rates reflect the additional risk. The practical difference is that Plan A to C borrowers are likely to have had CCJs, defaults, or mortgage arrears in the last 12 months that prevent them from qualifying for an Optimal plan, but still have sufficient equity and income to support a second charge loan.

This depends on whether the loan is on a variable rate or a fixed rate. Variable rate plans carry no early repayment charge at all. A £150 redemption administration fee applies on all plans including variable, but beyond that there is no penalty for repaying a variable rate Norton loan early. This makes the variable rate product particularly flexible for borrowers who may want to repay or remortgage within a relatively short period.

Fixed rate plans carry a sliding ERC during the fixed period. On a two-year fixed, the charge is 2% of the outstanding balance in year one and 1% in year two, after which the loan transfers to the variable rate with no further ERC. On a five-year fixed, the charge runs from 5% in year one down to 1% in year five. After the fixed period ends on any plan, the loan transfers to the variable rate and no further ERC applies. The guide to paying off a secured loan early explains how early repayment charges work and when they are worth paying to get out of a loan.

Norton lends against standard residential properties in England, Scotland, and Wales. Notably, there is no minimum property value, which means Norton can consider cases involving lower-value homes in areas where property prices are below the minimums that other lenders set. For properties under £60,000, the plan LTV is reduced by 25 percentage points; for properties under £80,000, by 15 percentage points. Properties over £80,000 attract the full plan LTV.

Non-standard construction types require a physical valuation rather than an automated model. If the valuation confirms the property is mortgageable by conventional means, no additional LTV restrictions apply; if not, the LTV is capped at 50%. Norton does not lend on tenanted properties, shared ownership, equity release arrangements, or commercial or semi-commercial premises. Flats in England and Wales must be leasehold. Ex-council flats require a minimum valuation of £100,000. High-rise flats in buildings of more than six storeys require a minimum valuation of £200,000. Leasehold properties must have at least 40 years of unexpired term remaining at the end of the loan.

Yes. Norton Home Loans Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under firm reference number 464136. The company is registered in England and Wales (Company No. 01893456) and is headquartered in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. As a regulated second charge mortgage lender, Norton is required to carry out mandatory affordability assessments, provide standardised mortgage disclosure documentation, stress-test affordability against potential rate rises, and give borrowers the right to complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service if they are dissatisfied.

Norton Home Loans is the lending entity within the Norton Finance Group. The group also includes Norton Finance (a separate credit broker) and Norton Broker Services (a packaging broker service). These are distinct from Norton Home Loans and hold their own FCA registrations. When a broker places a case with Norton Home Loans, the loan is provided by the lender entity (FRN 464136). All consumer protections applicable to regulated second charge mortgages apply regardless of which entity introduced the case.