NatWest Group plc

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM****20-F

(Mark One)

Commission file number:001-10306

NATWEST GROUP plc

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

United Kingdom

(Jurisdiction of incorporation)

250 Bishopsgate**,London,EC2M 4AA,**United Kingdom

(Address of principal executive offices)

Gary Moore**, Chief Governance Officer and Company Secretary,**

Tel:+44 (0) 370 702 0135, Fax: +44 (0) 131 626 3081

PO Box 1000**,Gogarburn,Edinburgh **EH12 1HQ

(Name, Telephone, E-mail and/or Facsimile number and Address of Company Contact Person)

Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

• Not for trading, but only in connection with the registration of American Depositary Shares representing such ordinary shares pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

None

Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act:

Indicate the number of outstanding shares of each of the issuer’s classes of capital or common stock as of December 31, 2024, the close of the period covered by the annual report:

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

If this report is an annual or transition report, indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

☐ Yes☒ No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or an emerging growth company*.* See definition of “large accelerated filer ", "accelerated filer" and "emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards † provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.☐

†The term “new or revised financial accounting standard” refers to any update issues by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management's assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.

☒ Yes☐ No

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements.☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b).☐

Indicate by check mark which basis of accounting the registrant has used to prepare the financial statements included in this filing:

☐ U.S. GAAP

☒ International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board

☐ Other

If “Other” has been checked in response to the previous question, indicate by check mark which financial statement item the registrant has elected to follow.

☐ Item 17☐ Item 18

If this is an annual report, indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

☐ Yes ☒ No

SEC Form 20-F cross reference guide

SEC Form 20-F cross reference guide continued

Forward-looking statements and important notices

Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements

Certain sections in this document contain ‘forward-looking statements’ as that term is defined in the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, such as statements with respect to NatWest Group’s financial condition, results of operations and business, including its strategic priorities, financial, investment and capital targets, and climate and sustainability-related targets, commitments and ambitions described herein. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about NatWest Group’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Words such as ‘expect’, ‘estimate’, ‘project’, ‘anticipate’, ‘commit’, ‘believe’, ‘should’, ‘intend’, ‘will’, ‘plan’, ‘could’, ‘probability’, ‘risk’, ‘target’, ‘goal’, ‘objective’, ‘may’, ‘endeavour’, ‘outlook’, ‘optimistic’, ‘prospects’ and similar expressions or variations on these expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this document includes forward-looking targets and guidance relating to financial performance measures, such as income growth, operating expense, RoTE, ROE, discretionary capital distribution targets, impairment loss rates, balance sheet reduction, including the reduction of RWAs, CET1 ratio (and key drivers of the CET1 ratio including timing, impact and details), Pillar 2 and other regulatory buffer requirements and MREL and non-financial performance measures, such as NatWest Group’s initial area of focus, climate and sustainability-related performance ambitions, targets and metrics, including in relation to initiatives to transition to a net zero economy, climate and sustainable funding and financing and financed emissions.

Limitations inherent to forward-looking statements

These statements are based on current plans, expectations, estimates, targets and projections, and are subject to significant inherent risks, uncertainties and other factors, both external and relating to NatWest Group’s strategy or operations, which may result in NatWest Group being unable to achieve the current plans, expectations, estimates, targets, projections and other anticipated outcomes expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition, certain of these disclosures are dependent on choices relying on key model characteristics and assumptions and are subject to various limitations, including assumptions and estimates made by management. By their nature, certain of these disclosures are only estimates and, as a result, actual future results, gains or losses could differ materially from those that have been estimated. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this document speak only as of the date we make them and we expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto, any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, or otherwise, except to the extent legally required.

Important factors that could affect the actual outcome of the forward-looking statements

We caution you that a large number of important factors could adversely affect our results or our ability to implement our strategy, cause us to fail to meet our targets, predictions, expectations and other anticipated outcomes or affect the accuracy of forward-looking statements described in this document. These factors include, but are not limited to, those set forth in the risk factors and the other uncertainties described in NatWest Group plc’s Annual Report on Form 20-F and its other filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The principal risks and uncertainties that could adversely affect NatWest Group’s future results, its financial condition and/or prospects and cause them to be materially different from what is forecast or expected, include, but are not limited to: economic and political risk (including in respect of: political and economic risks and uncertainty in the UK and global markets, including as a result of inflation and interest rates, supply chain disruption and geopolitical developments); changes in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates; and HM Treasury’s ownership of NatWest Group plc); business change and execution risk (including in respect of the implementation of NatWest Group’s strategy; future acquisitions and divestments, and the transfer of its Western European corporate portfolio); financial resilience risk (including in respect of: NatWest Group’s ability to meet targets and to make discretionary capital distributions; the competitive environment; counterparty and borrower risk; liquidity and funding risks; prudential regulatory requirements for capital and MREL; reductions in the credit ratings; the requirements of regulatory stress tests; model risk; sensitivity to accounting policies, judgments, estimates and assumptions (and the economic, climate, competitive and other forward looking information affecting those judgments, estimates and assumptions); changes in applicable accounting standards; the value or effectiveness of credit protection; the adequacy of NatWest Group’s future assessments by the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Bank of England; and the application of UK statutory stabilisation or resolution powers); climate and sustainability risk (including in respect of: risks relating to climate and sustainability-related risks; both the execution and reputational risk relating to NatWest Group’s climate change-related strategy, ambitions, targets and transition plan; climate and sustainability-related data and model risk; increasing levels of climate, environmental, human rights and sustainability-related regulation and oversight; and increasing; climate, environmental and sustainability-related litigation, enforcement proceedings investigations and conduct risk); operational and IT resilience risk (including in respect of: operational risks (including reliance on third party suppliers); cyberattacks; the accuracy and effective use of data; complex IT systems; attracting, retaining and developing diverse senior management and skilled personnel; NatWest Group’s risk management framework; and reputational risk); and legal, regulatory and conduct risk (including in respect of: the impact of substantial regulation and oversight; the outcome of legal, regulatory and governmental actions, investigations and remedial undertakings; and changes in tax legislation or failure to generate future taxable profits).

Forward-looking statements and important notices continued

Cautionary statement regarding Non-IFRS financial measures and APMs

NatWest Group prepares its financial statements in accordance with UK - adopted International Accounting Standards (IAS) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). This document may contain financial measures and ratios not specifically defined under GAAP or IFRS (‘Non-IFRS’) and/or alternative performance measures (‘APMs’) as defined in European Securities and Markets Authority (‘ESMA’) guidelines. Non-IFRS measures and APMs are adjusted for notable and other defined items which management believes are not representative of the underlying performance of the business and which distort period-on-period comparison. Non-IFRS measures provide users of the financial statements with a consistent basis for comparing business performance between financial periods and information on elements of performance that are one-off in nature. Any Non-IFRS measures and/or APMs included in this document, are not measures within the scope of IFRS, are based on a number of assumptions that are subject to uncertainties and change, and are not a substitute for IFRS measures.

The information, statements and opinions contained in this document do not constitute a public offer under any applicable legislation or an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or financial instruments or any advice or recommendation with respect to such securities or other financial instruments.

Climate and sustainability-related disclosures

Climate and sustainability-related disclosures in this document are not measures within the scope of International Financial Reporting Standards (‘IFRS’), use a greater number and level of judgments, assumptions and estimates, including with respect to the classification of climate and sustainable funding and financing activities, than our reporting of historical financial information in accordance with IFRS. These judgments, assumptions and estimates are highly likely to change materially over time, and, when coupled with the longer time frames used in these disclosures, make any assessment of materiality inherently uncertain. In addition, our climate risk analysis, our ambition to be net zero across our financed emissions, assets under management and operational value chain by 2050 and the implementation of our climate transition plan remain under development, and the data underlying our analysis and strategy remain subject to evolution over time. The process we have adopted to define, gather and report data on our performance on climate and sustainability-related measures is not subject to the formal processes adopted for financial reporting in accordance with IFRS and there are currently limited industry standards or globally recognised established practices for measuring and defining climate and sustainability-related metrics. As a result, we expect that certain climate and sustainability-related disclosures made in this document are likely to be amended, updated, recalculated or restated in the future. Please also refer to the cautionary statement in the section entitled ‘Climate and sustainability-related and other forward-looking statements and metrics’ of the NatWest Group 2024 Sustainability Report.

Presentation of information

In the Annual Report on Form 20-F, unless specified otherwise, ‘parent company’ refers to NatWest Group plc, and ‘NatWest Group’, ‘Group’ or ‘we’ refers to NatWest Group plc and its subsidiaries. The term ‘NWH Group’ refers to NatWest Holdings Limited (‘NWH Limited’) and its subsidiary and associated undertakings. The term ‘NWM Group’ refers to NatWest Markets Plc (‘NWM Plc’) and its subsidiary and associated undertakings. The term ‘RBSH N.V.’ refers to RBS Holdings N.V. The term ‘NWM N.V.’ refers to NatWest Markets N.V. The term ‘NWM N.V. Group’ refers to NatWest Markets N.V. and its subsidiary and associated undertakings The term ‘NWMSI’ refers to NatWest Markets Securities, Inc. The term ‘RBS plc’ refers to The Royal Bank of Scotland plc. The term ‘NWB Plc’ refers to National Westminster Bank Plc. The term ‘UBIDAC’ refers to Ulster Bank Ireland DAC. The term ‘RBSI Ltd’ refers to The Royal Bank of Scotland International Limited.

NatWest Group publishes its financial statements in pounds sterling (‘£’ or ‘sterling’). The abbreviations ‘£m’ and ‘£bn’ represent millions and thousands of millions of pounds sterling (‘GBP’), respectively, and references to ‘pence’ represent pence where amounts are denominated in pounds sterling. Reference to ‘dollars’ or ‘$’ are to United States of America (‘US’) dollars. The abbreviations ‘$m’ and ‘$bn’ represent millions and thousands of millions of dollars, respectively. The abbreviation ‘€’ represents the ‘euro’, and the abbreviations ‘€m’ and ‘€bn’ represent millions and thousands of millions of euros, respectively.

To aid readability, this document retains references to EU legislative and regulatory provisions in effect in the UK before 1 January 2021 that have now been implemented in UK domestic law. These references should be read and construed as including references to the applicable UK implementation measures with effect from 1 January 2021.

Any information contained on websites linked or reports referenced in this Annual Report on Form 20-F is for information only and will not be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein.

Non-IFRS financial information

NatWest Group prepares its financial statements in accordance with UK-adopted International Accounting Standards (IAS) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). This document contains a number of non-IFRS measures, also known as alternative performance measures, defined under the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) guidance or non-GAAP financial measures in accordance with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulations. These measures are adjusted for notable and other defined items which management believes are not representative of the underlying performance of the business and which distort period-on-period comparison.

The non-IFRS measures provide users of the financial statements with a consistent basis for comparing business performance between financial periods and information on elements of performance that are one-off in nature. The non-IFRS measures also include the basis of calculation for metrics that are used throughout the banking industry.

These non-IFRS measures are not a substitute for IFRS measures and a reconciliation to the closest IFRS measure is presented where appropriate. For details of the basis of preparation and reconciliation where appropriate refer to appendix ‘Non-IFRS financial measures’ on page 264.

Summary risk factors

Principal risks and uncertainties

Set out below is a summary of the principal risks and uncertainties that could adversely affect NatWest Group’s future results, its financial condition and prospects and cause them to be materially different from what is forecast or expected, and directly or indirectly impact the value of its securities in issue. This summary should not be regarded as a complete and comprehensive statement of all potential risks and uncertainties; a fuller description of these and other risk factors is included on pages 283 to 304 of this report on Form 20-F and should be read together with NatWest Group’s other public disclosures. Any of the risks identified may have a material adverse effect on NatWest Group’s business, operations, financial condition or prospects.

Economic and political risk

Business change and execution risk

Financial resilience risk

Summary risk factors continued

Operational and IT resilience risk

Legal and regulatory risk

Climate and sustainability-related risks

Group Chief Financial Officer’s review

‘We have delivered a strong performance in 2024 with a return on equity of 11.9% and a RoTE of 17.5%. Total income was £14.7 billion with total income excluding notable items exceeding our guidance at £14.6 billion. We remain focused on cost discipline and have achieved our cost target to be broadly stable, excluding the impact of increased bank levies and costs in relation to a retail share offering. Levels of default remain stable at low levels. We have strong growth in net lending and customer deposits across our businesses and the CET1 ratio was within our targeted range at 13.6%.’

Financial performance

Total income decreased by 0.3% to £14.7 billion compared with 2023 largely due to foreign exchange recycling gains in 2023. Total income excluding notable items of £14.6 billion was 2.2% higher than the prior year principally reflecting deposit margin expansion, lending growth and strong customer activity in capital markets partially offset by the impact of the deposit balance mix shift from non-interest bearing to interest bearing balances. Full year 2024 Net Interest Margin (NIM) of 2.13% was 1 basis point higher than 2023 primarily due to deposit margin expansion and higher deposit balances partially offset with asset margin compression and the impact of the deposit balance mix shift from non-interest bearing to interest bearing balances.

Total operating expenses of £8.1 billion were £153 million higher than 2023. Other operating expenses were £213 million (2.8%) higher, or excluding a £102 million increase in bank levies and £24 million of costs in relation to a retail share offering, were 1.1% higher and in line with our guidance. The increase was principally driven by higher staff costs due to inflation and severance costs partially offset by savings from the ongoing simplification of our business and lower costs in relation to our withdrawal from the Republic of Ireland.

FTE(1) reduced by 3% to c.59,200 in the year principally reflecting the transformation of our Retail Banking business and our withdrawal from the Republic of Ireland.

A net impairment charge of £359 million, or 9 basis points of gross customer loans, with stable levels of default across the portfolio. Compared with 2023, our ECL provision decreased by £0.2 billion to £3.4 billion and our ECL coverage ratio has decreased from 0.93% to 0.83%. We retain post model adjustments of £0.3 billion related to economic uncertainty, or 8.7% of total impairment provisions. Whilst we are comfortable with the strong credit performance of our book, we continue to assess this position regularly.

As a result, we are pleased to report an attributable profit for 2024 of £4.5 billion, with earnings per share of 53.5 pence, return on equity of 11.9% and a RoTE of 17.5%, the profit for the year includes a deferred tax asset benefit of £232 million, before UK Group and loss relief adjustments which are partially offset by the current tax charge.

Net loans to customers of £400.3 billion increased by £18.9 billion in the year compared to £381.4 billion in 2023. Net loans to customers excluding central items of £368.5 billion increased by £12.9 billion in the year compared to £355.6 billion in 2023 largely reflecting £10.0 billion of growth in Commercial & Institutional due to an increase in term loan facilities and growth in Corporate & Institutions, net of £2.0 billion of UK Government scheme repayments; and a £3.2 billion increase in Retail Banking, including £2.2 billion in respect of the Metro Bank mortgage portfolio acquisition.

Up to 31 December 2024 we have provided £93.4 billion against our target to provide £100 billion climate and sustainable funding and financing between 1 July 2021 and the end of 2025(2). As part of this we aim to provide at least £10 billion in lending for EPC A- and B-rated residential properties between 1 January 2023 and the end of 2025. During 2024 we provided £31.5 billion climate and sustainable funding and financing, which included £3.5 billion in lending for EPC A- and B-rated residential properties.

Customer deposits of £433.5 billion increased by £2.1 billion during 2024. Customer deposits excluding central items increased by £12.2 billion during 2024 to £431.3 billion principally reflecting £6.8 billion growth in Retail Banking, as an increase in savings was partly offset by a reduction in current account balances, and a £4.7 billion increase in Private Banking due to savings balances partially offset by a reduction in current account and term balances. Commercial & Institutional balances increased £0.7 billion over the year primarily reflecting growth within Commercial Mid-market partially offset by a reduction in Corporate & Institutions. Term balances have remained broadly stable throughout 2024 and compared to the end of 2023 at 16% of the book.

Net Asset Value (NAV) per share increased by 46 pence in the year to 424 pence. Tangible net asset value (TNAV) per share increased by 37 pence in the year to 329 pence primarily reflecting the attributable profit for the period partially offset by the impact of distributions.

The CET1 ratio of 13.6% was 20 basis points higher than 2023 principally reflecting the attributable profit, c.240 basis points partially offset by distributions deducted from capital of c.220 basis points.

RWAs increased by £0.2 billion during 2024 to £183.2 billion principally reflecting lending growth, the annual update to operational risk and £0.9 billion in relation to the Metro Bank mortgage portfolio partially offset by RWA management reduction of £6.8 billion.

Katie Murray

Group Chief Financial Officer

Financial summary

This section includes a discussion on our operating results for the year ended 31 December 2024, including a comparative discussion on our operating results for the year ended 31 December 2023. For a discussion on our operating results for the year ended 31 December 2023, including a comparative discussion on our operating results for the year ended 31 December 2022, refer to the sections “CFO Review”, “Financial Summary” and “Segment Performance” on pages 6 to 24 in our 2023 Annual Report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-10306) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 23, 2024.

nm = not meaningful

A tax charge of £1,465 million for the year ended 31 December 2024 arises rather than the expected charge of £1,549 million based on the UK corporation tax rate of 25%. The lower tax charge primarily reflects tax credits for the re-recognition of previously impaired deferred tax assets on brought forward tax losses in the UK and the Netherlands. These have been partially offset by the UK banking surcharge and various other non-tax deductible expenses. Refer to Note 7 to the consolidated financial statements for further details.

Compared with 2023, our ECL provision decreased by £0.2 billion to £3.4 billion and our ECL coverage ratio has decreased from 0.93% to 0.83%. Amounts written off increased by £335 million to £654 million and we retain post model adjustments of £0.3 billion related to economic uncertainty, or 8.7% of total impairment provisions.

A net impairment charge of £359 million, or 9 basis points of gross customer loans, primarily reflects continued stable levels of default across the portfolio.

Profit for the year

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Attributable profit to ordinary shareholders of £4,519 million was £125 million, or 2.8%, higher than 2023 primarily due to a lower impairment charge partially offset by higher costs largely attributable to inflationary pressures.

Summary consolidated balance sheet as at 31 December 2024

Summary consolidated balance sheet as at 31 December 2024 continued

Segment performance

Segmental summary income statements

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For the notes to this table, refer to the following page.

Segmental summary income statements continued

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Retail Banking

(1)Refer to the Non-IFRS financial measures section for details of basis of preparation and reconciliation of non-IFRS financial measures and performance metrics.

(2)Excludes off-balance sheet ECL of £0.1 billion.

Retail Banking continued

During 2024, Retail Banking delivered a return on equity of 19.9% and operating profit of £2.4 billion, with positive income and net interest margin momentum from the benefit of higher product structural hedge margins, partly offset by the impact of interest rate cuts during 2024. We supported customers with unsecured lending growth of £1.1 billion, or 7.9%, driven by our credit card proposition, and increased mortgage lending of £1.9 billion, or 1.0%, reflecting the acquisition of the Metro Bank mortgage portfolio and positive underlying growth in the second half of the year reflecting improved market conditions and increased demand.

Retail Banking provided £3.3 billion of climate and sustainable funding and financing in 2024 from lending on properties with an EPC rating of A or B.

Private Banking

Private Banking continued

In 2024, Private Banking delivered an operating profit of £264 million and return on equity of 14.2%. We have continued to see strong customer engagement across our propositions, and this has resulted in an increase in AUMA balances of 19.9% in 2024 and strong deposit growth of 12.5%.

Private Banking provided £0.4 billion of climate and sustainable funding and financing in 2024, principally in relation to mortgages on residential properties with an EPC rating of A or B and wholesale transactions.

Commercial & Institutional

Commercial & Institutional continued

During 2024, Commercial & Institutional continued to support customers with an increase in lending of 7.6% and delivered a strong performance in income and operating profit supporting a return on equity of 17.2%, an increase from 15.4% in 2023. We continued to see good client demand for lending and net interest margin expansion supporting overall improved profitability.

Commercial & Institutional provided £27.8 billion of climate and sustainable funding and financing in 2024 to support customers investing in the transition to net zero.

Central items & other

Summary financial statements

Summary consolidated income statement

Summary financial statements continued

Summary consolidated balance sheet

As at 31 December 2024

NatWest Group’s financial statements are prepared in accordance with UK adopted International Accounting Standards (IAS), and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB).

Competition

NatWest Group’s ability to attract and manage funding remains a critical competitive advantage. Other key competitive factors include cost management, growing digital sales focus, branch network re-shaping, and product simplification. Cost management remains a key focus, as banks seek to simplify their organisational and IT architectures while at the same time investing to ensure that they can meet customers’ evolving channel preferences. Customers have increasingly focused on the use of internet and mobile as sales and service channels for certain types of products. Therefore, competitive position and performance increasingly depends on the possession of user-friendly, diverse and efficient online solutions.

Retail Banking

In the retail banking business, NatWest Group competes with a range of providers including UK banks and building societies, major retailers and life assurance companies, as well as the UK subsidiaries of major international banks. In the mortgage market, NatWest Group competes with UK banks, building societies and specialist lenders. Increasingly, the ambitions of non-traditional players in the UK market are gaining credibility, with new entrants active and seeking to build their platforms either through organic growth or in some cases by acquiring businesses made available through the restructuring of incumbents.

Entrants with new business models such as peer-to-peer lending platforms, while currently small, continue to grow rapidly and are emerging as significant competitors. Such competitors often target specific elements of the value chain, providing specialised services to particular customer segments.

In the UK credit card market, large retailers and specialist card issuers are active in addition to the UK banks. In addition to physical distribution channels, providers compete through direct marketing activity and digital channels.

NatWest Group distributes life assurance products to banking customers in competition with independent advisors and life assurance companies.

Private Banking

In the Private Banking business, NatWest Group serves UK connected high-net-worth individuals and their business interests. The bank competes with UK private banks, international private banks and wealth managers. Competition remains strong as banks maintain their focus on competing for affluent and high net worth customers, supporting customers in need of financial advice. Investment in digital and M&A remain key themes with fee pressure ongoing, in response to Consumer Duty and market competition.

Commercial & Institutional

Commercial & Institutional consists of customer businesses reported under Business Banking, Commercial Mid-market and Corporate & Institutions to support our customers across the full non-personal customer lifecycle, both domestically and internationally, principally customers that trade with and from the UK. Our markets offering provides access to financial markets for NatWest Group customers, with financing and risk management expertise, while our international offering provides full-service banking operations in the Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar and Luxembourg.

In the business banking market, the bank competes with other UK banks, specialist finance providers and new entrants, including fin-techs and non-bank challengers. The Commercial Mid-market segment primarily competes with UK Banks and includes an asset finance and invoice finance offering which competes with banks and specialist finance providers, both captive and non-captive. Competition for corporate and institutional customers in the UK is from UK banks, from specialised global investment banks and from large foreign universal banks that offer combined investment and commercial banking capabilities.

Our Corporate and Institution business also competes with international banks which offer offshore and domestic banking services in the Channel Islands, Gibraltar and the Isle of Man as well as depositary services in UK and Luxembourg. The business also provides financing and risk solutions to large corporates in the UK, Western Europe and the United States. Here we compete with large domestic banks, major international banks and investment banks that offer risk management, trading solutions and debt financing to financial institutions and corporate customers.

Competitors are increasingly focusing on improving customer engagement with their services, resulting in intensified competition among banking and financial services providers to attract and retain existing customers. Other primary competitive elements in this market include the introduction of new technology-driven business models, the capability to innovate digitally, and specialised expertise that provides customised solutions offering additional value to customers.