Brokers have called for greater investment in financial education, after the vast majority said they saw an increase in near prime enquiries in 2025, Atom bank has revealed.

The bank’s latest broker poll found that 93% of brokers said they have seen an increase in customers with either adverse credit or who would fail traditional credit scores over the last year.

This trend is expected to continue into 2026, with 74% predicting a further increase in near prime business throughout the year.

As a result, brokers have called for improvements in financial education to help the next generation of borrowers avoid succumbing to the same credit mistakes.

It comes after the Government recently announced plans to include financial education within the national curriculum and brokers were polled on what elements they felt were important for inclusion.

An overview of the different forms of credit was the most popular option, pinpointed by 22% of respondents, while almost one in five called for lessons on the real cost of borrowing and how debt can build up over time.

Head of mortgages at Atom bank, Richard Harrison, stated: "Near prime is now a mainstream part of the market, with our research highlighting the growing role it plays - and looks set to play - in the daily workloads of brokers across the country.

"What came through clearly in our webinar is that customers need more support and better financial education to help them understand borrowing, avoid unnecessary credit blips and navigate the mortgage process confidently.

"Demand for near prime lending is only likely to increase, as we see the continued ramifications of the budgeting challenges of recent years, so it’s crucial that lenders provide clear pathways back to prime products as customers’ circumstances improve."

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