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Picture this: You’re a fresh graduate, excited and a tad nervous about stepping foot into the UK job market. You’ve spent days drafting and re-drafting your CV, browsing countless online job portals, and daydreaming about landing a shiny position at one of the big banks you’ve heard so much about—Lloyds, NatWest, Barclays, maybe even HSBC. After all, they’re the only banks out there, right?
Wrong.
The truth is, there are 140 banks in the UK that hold a sponsorship license. Yes, you read that correctly—one hundred and forty.(All I could find) In other words, many more opportunities and countless doors for you to knock on.
One of my coaching students was determined to land their first role in finance. Initially, they focused only on the few big names in the industry. But as soon as I showed them the comprehensive list of 140 banks, their eyes lit up with new possibilities.
That’s when they realized they had been limiting themselves. The UK’s banking industry is vast—much bigger than just the four or five household names everyone talks about.
Targeting only the largest banks puts you up against the fiercest competition pool, where thousands of graduates vie for the same spots. That’s not to say it’s impossible to land a job at one of these giants, but diversifying your strategy by exploring small and medium-sized banks opens far more doors.
I’ve compiled data on 140 banks in the UK that currently hold a sponsorship license. These banks aren’t just for finance professionals—they’re hiring in IT, digital, and other sectors as well. Plus, this list comes with valuable insights like the number of employees, so you can target the banks that best match your career goals—be it a smaller institution for hands-on experience or a mid-sized bank for a balance of structure and agility.
| Company Name | Website URL | Number of Employees | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capital One Bank | http://www.capitalone.co.uk/web/index.jsf | 10-50 | Nottingham |
| Kingdom Bank Limited | https://www.kingdom.bank/ | 10-50 | Nottingham |
| Persia International Bank Plc | http://www.persiabank.co.uk/ | 10-50 | London |
| Bank Saderat Plc | http://www.saderat-plc.com/ | 10-50 | London |
| Commonwealth Bank of Australia | http://www.commbank.com.au/ | 10-50 | London |
| Havin bank limited | http://www.hib.uk.com/ | 10-50 | London |
| Kexim Bank (UK) Limited | http://www.koreaexim.go.kr/site/uk | 10-50 | London |
| Maybank Securities Limited | https://www.maybank.com/en/worldwide/united-kingdom.page | 10-50 | London |
| National Australia Bank | https://www.nab.com.au/personal | 10-50 | London |
| Sanlam Investments UK | https://www.sanlam.co.uk/ | 10-50 | London |
| RCI Bank UK Limited | https://www.rcibank.co.uk/ | 10-50 | Rickmansworth |
| Absa Securities | https://www.absa.co.za/personal/ | 10-50 | London |
| The Access Bank UK Ltd | https://www.theaccessbankukltd.co.uk/ | 100-250 | Northwich |
| Hampden & Co plc | https://www.hampdenandco.com/ | 100-250 | Edinburgh |
| Castle Trust Bank | https://www.castletrust.co.uk/ | 100-250 | London |
| EUROPE ARAB BANK PLC | http://www.eabplc.com/ | 100-250 | London |
| PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK | https://www.pnbint.com/ | 100-250 | London |
| Bank of London and The Middle East | http://www.blme.com/ | 100-250 | London |
| Ghana International Bank PLC | https://www.ghanabank.co.uk/ | 100-250 | London |
| Griffin Bank Ltd | https://griffin.com/ | 100-250 | London |
| GUARANTY TRUST BANK (UK) | https://www.gtbankuk.com/ | 100-250 | London |
| HBL Bank | https://hblbankuk.com/ | 100-250 | London |
| Kroo Bank Ltd | https://kroo.com/ | 100-250 | London |
| Monument Bank | http://www.monument.co/ | 100-250 | London |
| Turkish Bank (UK) Ltd | https://www.turkishbank.co.uk/ | 100-250 | London |
| Mega International Commercial Bank | https://www.megabank.com.tw/ | 100-250 | London |
| Waverton Investment Management | http://www.waverton.co.uk/ | 100-250 | London |
| WH Ireland Ltd | http://www.whirelandplc.com/ | 100-250 | London |
| Gatehouse Bank plc | https://gatehousebank.com/personal | 100-250 | London |
| Oxbury Bank PLC | https://www.oxbury.com/ | 100-250 | Chester |
| Zenith Bank (UK) Limited | http://www.zenith-bank.co.uk/ | 100-250 | London |
| Lloyds Bank plc | https://www.lloydsbank.com/ | 1000+ | London |
| Barclays Bank PLC | https://www.barclays.co.uk/ | 1000+ | London |
| Santander UK PLC | https://www.santanderprivate.co.uk/ | 1000+ | London |
| Wise Payments Limited | https://wise.com/ | 1000+ | London |
| Credit Suisse | https://www.credit-suisse.com/ | 1000+ | London |
| Investec Bank PLC | https://www.investec.com/en_gb.html | 1000+ | London |
| Societe Generale | http://www.equipmentfinance.societegenerale.co.uk/ | 1000+ | London |
| METRO BANK PLC | https://www.metrobankonline.co.uk/ | 1000+ | London |
| Emirates NBD | https://www.emiratesnbd.co.uk/en | 1000+ | London |
| RBC(Royal Bank of Canada) | http://www.rbcwealthmanagement.com/ | 1000+ | Tronto |
| Northern Trust | http://www.northerntrust.com/ | 1000+ | London |
| Goldman Sachs International | http://www.goldmansachs.com/ | 1000+ | London |
| JPMorgan Chase Bank | https://www.jpmorganchase.com/ | 1000+ | London |
| UNION BANCAIRE PRIVEE | http://www.ubp.com/ | 1000+ | London |
| Standard Chartered Bank | https://www.sc.com/ | 1000+ | London |
| ABC International Bank Plc | https://www.bank-abc.com/ | 1000+ | London |
| Bank of Beirut | https://www.bankofbeirut.co.uk/ | 1000+ | London |
| Bank of China (UK) Limited | https://www.bankofchina.com/uk/ | 1000+ | London |
| Clydesdale Bank PLC | https://secure.cbonline.co.uk/ | 1000+ | Glasgow |
| ANZ Bank (UK) | http://www.anz.com/ | 1000+ | London |
| HABIB BANK AG ZURICH | https://habibbank.com/gb/ | 1000+ | London |
| Leeds Building Society | https://www.leedsbuildingsociety.co.uk/ | 1000+ | Leeds |
| Julius Baer | https://www.juliusbaer.com/ | 1000+ | London |
| Close Brothers | https://www.closebrothers.com/ | 1000+ | London |
| PHILIPPINE NATIONAL BANK (EUROPE) | http://www.pnb.com.ph/ | 1000+ | London |
| BANK OF IRELAND | http://www.bankofireland.com/ | 1000+ | London |
| Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce | http://www.cibc.com/ | 1000+ | London |
| DBS Bank Ltd | https://www.dbs.com/uk/default.page | 1000+ | London |
| DNB Bank | http://www.dnb.no/ | 1000+ | London |
| Handelsbanken plc | https://www.handelsbanken.co.uk/en/ | 1000+ | London |
| mashreqbank | https://www.mashreq.com/en/uk/home | 1000+ | London |
| Monzo Bank Ltd | https://monzo.com/ | 1000+ | London |
| MUFG Bank | https://www.mufgemea.com/ | 1000+ | London |
| SHAWBROOK BANK LIMITED | https://www.shawbrook.co.uk/ | 1000+ | Brentwood |
| STARLING BANK LIMITED | https://www.starlingbank.com/ | 1000+ | London |
| Triodos Bank UK Ltd | https://www.triodos.co.uk/ | 1000+ | Bristol |
| Rathbones Group Plc | https://www.rathbones.com/ | 1000+ | London |
| Brewin Dolphin Limited | http://www.brewin.co.uk/ | 1000+ | London |
| Hargreaves Lansdown plc | https://www.hl.co.uk/ | 1000+ | Bristol |
| Aldermore Bank Plc | http://www.aldermore.co.uk/ | 1000+ | Reading |
| Close Brothers | https://www.closebrothers.com/who-we-are | 1000+ | London |
| OneSavings Bank plc | https://www.osb.co.uk/ | 1000+ | Kent |
| Schroders | https://www.schroders.com/en/global/individual/ | 1000+ | London |
| Tesco Personal Finance plc | https://www.tescobank.com/ | 1000+ | Edinburgh |
| TSB Bank plc | https://branches.tsb.co.uk/ | 1000+ | London |
| Vanquis Bank Limited | https://www.vanquis.co.uk/ | 1000+ | Bradford |
| Weatherbys Private Bank | https://www.weatherbys.bank/ | 250-500 | London |
| Brown Shipley & Co Limited | https://brownshipley.com/en-gb | 250-500 | Moorgate |
| Nedbank LTD | Fn | 250-500 | London |
| United Trust Bank Limited | http://www.utbank.co.uk/ | 250-500 | London |
| BANK OF BARODA | https://www.bankofbarodauk.com/ | 250-500 | London |
| Hampshire Trust Bank Plc | https://www.htb.co.uk/ | 250-500 | London |
| Cynergy Bank plc | https://www.cynergybank.co.uk/ | 250-500 | London |
| Crown Agents Bank Ltd | http://www.crownagentsbank.com/ | 250-500 | London |
| Marks and Spencer Group Plc | https://bank.marksandspencer.com/ | 250-500 | London |
| FCMB Bank (UK) Limited | https://www.fcmbuk.com/ | 250-500 | London |
| FirstBank UK Limited | https://www.fbnbank.co.uk/ | 250-500 | London |
| ICICI Bank UK | http://www.icicibank.co.uk/ | 250-500 | London |
| Al Rayan Bank PLC | http://www.alrayanbank.co.uk/ | 250-500 | Birmingham |
| JM Finn & Co Limited | https://www.jmfinn.com/ | 250-500 | London |
| Walker Crips Group PLC | https://www.walkercrips.co.uk/InvestorRelations | 250-500 | London |
| Atomos Investments Limited | https://www.atomos.co.uk/ | 250-500 | London |
| Tandem Bank Limited | https://www.tandem.co.uk/ | 250-500 | Blackpool |
| The Charity Bank | https://charitybank.org/ | 50-100 | Tonbridge |
| Jordan International Bank | https://www.jordanbank.co.uk/ | 50-100 | London |
| JCB International (Europe) Ltd | http://www.jcbeurope.eu/ | 50-100 | London |
| NATIONAL BANK OF EGYPT (UK) | https://www.nbeuk.com/ | 50-100 | London |
| GB Bank Limited | https://www.gbbank.co.uk/ | 50-100 | London |
| National Bank of Kuwait | https://www.nbk.com/london/ | 50-100 | London |
| Gulf International Bank UK Limited | https://gibam.com/ | 50-100 | London |
| Recognise Bank Limited | https://www.recognisebank.co.uk/ | 50-100 | London |
| JN Bank UK Ltd | https://portal.jnbank.co.uk/ | 50-100 | London |
| AIB Group | http://aibgb.co.uk/ | 50-100 | London |
| Ahli United Bank | https://www.ahliunited.com/uk/ | 50-100 | London |
| Dinosaur Merchant Bank Ltd. | https://www.dinogroup.co.uk/ | 50-100 | London |
| Chetwood Bank | https://chetwoodbank.co.uk/ | 50-100 | Wrexham |
| C. Hoare & Co. | https://www.hoaresbank.co.uk/ | 500-1000 | London |
| Arbuthnot Banking Group | https://www.arbuthnotlatham.co.uk/group | 500-1000 | London |
| HSBC Innovation Bank Limited | https://www.privatebanking.hsbc.com/ | 500-1000 | London |
| Danske Bank | http://www.danskebank.co.uk/ | 500-1000 | Northern Ireland |
| EFG Private Bank Limited | https://www.efginternational.com/uk | 500-1000 | London |
| SG Kleinwort Hambros Bank Limited | http://www.kleinworthambros.com/ | 500-1000 | London |
| Bank of America (UK) | https://business.bofa.com/ | 500-1000 | London |
| British Business Bank | http://www.british-business-bank.co.uk/ | 500-1000 | Sheffield |
| ClearBank Limited | https://www.clear.bank/ | 500-1000 | London |
| OakNorth Bank Plc | https://oaknorth.co.uk/ | 500-1000 | London |
| Allica Bank | https://www.allica.bank/ | 500-1000 | London |
| Zopa Group Limited | https://www.zopa.com/ | 500-1000 | London |
| Adyen UK Limited | https://www.adyen.com/en_GB/ | 1000+ | Amsterdam |
| AGPAYTECH LTD. | https://www.agpaytech.com/ | 10-50 | London |
| allpay Limited | https://www.allpay.net/ | 250-500 | Herefordshire |
| Alternative Payments Ltd | https://www.alternativepayments.com/ | 0-10 | Kerrville |
| Altery Ltd | https://altery.com/ | 10-50 | London |
| ANCHORAGE CHAMBERS LTD | https://anchoragechambers.co.uk/pay-online/ | 50-100 | Salford |
| Zempler Bank Limited | https://www.zemplerbank.com/ | 250-500 | London |
| VTB Capital Plc | http://www.vtbcapital.com/ | 1000+ | London |
| Unity Link Financial Services Limited | https://unitylink.com/about-unitylink/ | 50-100 | London |
| LHV Bank Limited | https://lhv.com/ | 100-250 | London |
| Landesbank Baden-Wurttemberg | https://www.lbbw.de/services/our-solutions/international-business/international-network/office-london_ab4h1ko2yi_e.html | 10-50 | Stuttgart |
| Ashman Bank Limited | https://ashmanfinance.com/ | 50-100 | Birmingham |
| Bank Mandiri (Europe) Limited | https://www.bkmandiri.co.uk/ | 250-500 | London |
| Vida Bank | https://www.vidabank.co.uk/ | 100-250 | London |
| Currency Solutions Ltd | https://www.currencysolutions.com/ | 50-100 | London |
| Dixipay Ltd | https://www.dixipay.com/ | 10-50 | London |
| EMERALD FINANCIAL GROUP | https://emerald24.co.uk/ | 50-100 | London |
| Flagstone Group Limited | https://www.flagstoneim.com/ | 250-500 | London |
| GBXP Ltd | https://gbxp.uk/ | 0-10 | London |
| iBanFirst Limited | https://ibanfirst.com/ | 250-500 | BRUSSELS |
Don’t limit yourself to just a handful of big names. The UK’s banking sector is massive, with 140 sponsorship-license banks actively seeking diverse talent in finance, IT, digital, and beyond. This data—including approximate employee sizes—lets you see where you might fit best.
When you explore beyond the usual suspects, you just might find the perfect role in a bank that’s eager for fresh perspectives.