NatWest is to become the first UK high-street bank to offer the Equifax UK Verification Exchange solution, designed to combat mortgage application fraud.

The service is designed to improve the mortgage application process and champions financial inclusion through instant income and employment verification.

Verification Exchange, which is part of the Equifax UK affordability services suite, streamlines verification by providing a digital view of a customer’s income and employment. By replacing manual, paper-based proofing with real-time, direct-from-source data, the partnership directly combats the risk of pay slip fraud.

Equifax said this reduces the administrative burden for both consumers and lenders, helping to limit application dropouts, enabling lenders to approve applications with greater confidence.

The relationship will enable NatWest customers to make faster and more informed responsible lending decisions, in line with their focus on delivering positive outcomes for borrowers under the Financial Conduct Authority’s Consumer Duty regulations.

Director, consumer products at Equifax UK, Kristina Burwood-Ansell, stated: "NatWest offering Verification Exchange to their customers is a testament to the power of Equifax data in helping to create a fairer and more efficient mortgage ecosystem. By automating income and employment verification, we are not only tackling fraud risks and the inefficiencies of manual processes but also creating a faster and more transparent journey for borrowers.

"We are proud to offer a solution that enables a faster, more secure, and inclusive experience, empowering lenders to approve with greater confidence and driving financial inclusion across the mortgage market."

Head of mortgage distribution and underwriting at NatWest, Brad Fordham, added: "We know that buying a home is a significant milestone in our customers’ lives, but we believe that the traditional mortgage application process can be made quicker and easier. By offering the Equifax UK Verification Exchange solution, we are fundamentally reshaping the application experience - removing the friction of sourcing and uploading physical pay slips to deliver near-instant certainty.

"This is part of our strategic goal to bring more joy and less stress to the process of buying a home in the UK. Today’s news creates a more secure path to a mortgage decision for our clients, by introducing vital digital innovation to drive genuine value for prospective homeowners."

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