Julie-Ann Haines, CEO of Danske Bank UK, commented:
“I am pleased to report a profit before tax of £209 million for the first nine months of 2026, supported by continued growth in Northern Ireland and across the rest of the UK. Customer lending increased by 9% year-on-year and deposits grew by 5%, reflecting the strength of our customer relationships and the resilience of our business.
“During the period, Danske Bank supported the Northern Ireland business community with more than £570 million in lending approvals. We were also pleased to welcome over 1,200 new small business customers and to see small business lending approvals increase by around 10% year-on-year.
“Despite inflationary pressures and a volatile interest rate environment, mortgage lending remained resilient and was supported by sustained housing demand and low unemployment in Northern Ireland. We approved around £940 million in total mortgage lending across the UK in the first nine months of 2026, an increase of over 15% year-on-year.
“When it comes to everyday banking, we opened more than 10,000 new personal current accounts, 40% of which were for customers under 18 years old. During the third quarter, we enhanced our youth account proposition by enabling 16- and 17-year olds to apply independently online for a personal current account. This simplifies access to everyday banking at an important life stage, as young people begin to more actively manage earnings, savings and day-to-day spending.
“Our 24 branches across Northern Ireland remain a key differentiator in the market. This physical presence is complemented by our local contact centre, local mortgage advisers, dedicated business and private banking relationship managers and our availability to customers in person at five banking hubs.
“We also continue to invest significantly in our digital service offering for both personal and business customers, as well as in strengthening the digital skills of our workforce. In the third quarter, we were proud to be among the first signatories of the UK Financial Services Skills Compact announced by HM Treasury. This represents a formal commitment to invest in our people, develop talent pipelines and ensure we have the skills needed to thrive into the future.
“As we look ahead, we will continue to build on our strong foundations, investing in the business and ensuring we are well positioned for continued growth.”
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