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V12 Retail Finance Q3 Data Shows Home Improvement Finance More Than Doubling



New quarterly data from V12 Retail Finance shows that UK consumers continued to turn to point-of-sale finance for high-value purchases in the third quarter of 2026. Total finance values across the platform grew 7% between July and September compared with Q3 2025, and were almost 20% higher than in the same period of 2024.


The quarter got off to a challenging start as prolonged hot weather and a busy international sporting calendar disrupted normal shopping patterns in July. However, each month of the quarter was ahead of the same month in 2025, and demand strengthened as the summer went on. As in the first half of the year, growth came mainly from categories linked to the home, health and practical everyday purchases. This suggests that households remain willing to commit to significant spending, but continue to be selective about where they do so.


Andrew Phillips, Managing Director of V12 Retail Finance said:

"The third quarter shows a consumer who is still willing to spend on what matters most, even when the backdrop is far from straightforward. July was a difficult month for many retailers, but demand held up and strengthened through August and September."

"The standout trend is the continued investment households are making in their homes. Home improvement finance more than doubled year on year in the quarter, and that reflects a broader shift we have been tracking for some time, as people choose to improve the homes they already have rather than move."


"Consumers remain cautious about the wider economic picture, and we expect them to stay selective. But the strength and breadth of demand across our portfolio gives us confidence as retailers head into Black Friday and the Christmas trading period."


Home improvements emerge as the defining trend of 2026

Home Improvements was a standout performer in V12’s portfolio in Q3. Finance values rose by around 112% year on year, and the pace of growth increased each month. Values were up approximately 56% in July, 107% in August and 163% in September.


The category has now grown almost fourfold in quarterly value since Q3 2024, and now accounts for around 7% of total finance values, compared with less than 4% in the same period last year. Across the first nine months of 2026, home improvement finance values are up by around 73% year on year. This builds on the multi-year pattern of increased investment in property-related projects that V12's earlier data releases highlighted.


Furniture remains the anchor of demand

Furniture remained the largest category by a significant margin, accounting for close to 49% of all finance values in Q3 2026. Finance values held broadly stable, rising around 1.5% year on year on what had been a strong Q3 2025.


Performance varied through the quarter, with July softer as warm weather reduced footfall, particularly at retail park locations. August was a stronger month for the category, with finance values rising nearly 9% year on year as cooler temperatures and Bank Holiday promotional activity brought customers back to stores. On August Bank Holiday Monday alone, applications approved across V12's portfolio rose by almost 40% compared with the same day in 2025, with furniture retailers making a significant contribution.


Healthcare and practical categories continue to grow

Healthcare and dental finance values rose by around 6% year on year, and are up by more than a third compared with Q3 2024. The category accounted for around 12% of V12's total finance values in the quarter. This reflects continued consumer willingness to invest in dental and elective treatment, supported by the expansion of V12's healthcare provider network.


Growth was also strong across several practical and lifestyle categories. Consumer electrical finance values more than doubled year on year, rising by around 126%. Cycles grew by around 24%, with double-digit growth in every month of the quarter. Motor finance rose by close to 6%.


Signs of stabilisation in discretionary categories

In Q1, discretionary luxury categories were under pressure. In Q3, there were early signs that this pressure is beginning to ease. Jewellery, the second largest sector by value, returned to growth, with finance values rising nearly 3% year on year. This marks a positive step after a softening trend that had been evident since mid-2024.


Other discretionary categories remained more subdued. Art saw a decline of close to 8%, while music was broadly flat. This suggests that while sentiment around non-essential purchases may be improving, households are still exercising restraint in some areas.


Retailer network continues to expand

V12's retailer network continued to grow during the quarter. The most significant milestone was the launch of V12's partnership with Magnet, which went live across all 150 Magnet stores in July and made a strong early contribution to the growth in home improvement finance. The sector also benefited from continued growth among retailers introduced through broker partners.


"What has been particularly encouraging this quarter is how broad the growth has been," added Andrew Phillips.

"We have seen strength in our largest categories, in healthcare and in practical purchases, and early signs of recovery in jewellery. Combined with the momentum in home improvements and new partnerships such as Magnet, that gives us a solid platform as we move into the busiest trading period of the year."

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BBC One’s Dragons’ Den is about to receive a massive shake-up in 2024, with ex-footballer Gary Neville officially entering the den as a guest dragon.

Famous for being a star player for both Manchester United and England, and now as a regular pundit for Sky Sports, Gary Neville is also a keen businessman. In recent years, he has invested in property development, operates his own hotel, and also owns shares in the football club Salford City, which plays in League Two.

However, Gary Neville is not the first ex-sports star to have taken up entrepreneurism after hanging up their playing boots, as research from Business Name Generator reveals five more sports stars turned successful investors.

1. Mathieu Flamini

Whilst having a decent time in his footballing days playing for the likes of Arsenal and A.C. Milan, plus making three international appearances for France, Mathieu Flamini’s career really took off when he ventured into the world of investing.

Flamini is a co-founder and partner of GF Biochemicals, one of the world’s leading producers of levulinic acid, which is used in various industries as a sustainable alternative in plastics, solvents, fuels and pharmaceutical products.

What’s more, Flamini helped to establish this business in 2010, when he was just 26 years old and still quite early into his football career.

Having only retired from football in 2019, Flamini was technically one of the world’s richest footballers during his playing days, due to his success in the business world. In 2020, Forbes estimated that Flamini’s net worth was approximately £10 billion, making him richer than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo combined.

2. Maria Sharapova

One of the most famous women to ever wield the tennis racket, Maria Sharapova has won Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon, the US Open, the French Open and more, and she has swung for success in the business world, too.

In 2012, Maria Sharapova launched her own confectionary brand, Sugarpova, with the company now valued at a very sweet £150 million.

The retired tennis player has also invested in brands such as Tonal and Moonpay, as well as the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). In 2022, she joined the board of directors at luxury fashion brand, Moncler.

In true Gary Neville style, Maria Sharapova has also appeared as a guest investor on Shark Tank, which is the US equivalent of Dragons’ Den. During her guest appearance on the show, she teamed up with Mark Cuban to invest $900,000 in Bala Bangles, the wrist and ankle weights company.

3. Shaquille O’Neal

NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal is one of the world’s most recognisable basketball players, and has continued his winning mentality even after retiring from the court in 2011.

Standing at a whole 7 ft 1 in tall, Shaq’s business career has also reached dizzying heights. He has invested stock in some giant companies over the years including Apple, Pepsi and Google - where he was one of the company’s earliest investors.

In more recent years, Shaq has invested heavily in huge food and drink brands. Most prominently with the burger restaurant chain, Five Guys, where he owned and later sold 10% of the company. He has also invested in Krispy Kreme (doughnuts), Auntie Anne’s (pretzels) and in 2019 joined the board of directors at Papa John’s (pizza).

4. Ryan Bertrand

Potentially following in Flamini’s footsteps, Ryan Bertrand has started to make waves in business ventures off the pitch.

The 33-year-old defender who has made 19 international appearances for England and is currently on the books at Leicester City. As well as this, he founded the fintech brokerage firm Silicon Markets back in 2015, while he was still playing for Southampton in the Premier League.

Silicon Markets aimed to, “Bridge the gap between trading floors and the retail brokerage sector” by utilising AI and machine learning. The company was eventually sold to a Malaysian firm, meaning Ryan Bertrand saw the entire entrepreneur journey through from start to finish, all before he had even hung up his football boots.

5. David Beckham

David Beckham is one of the most recognisable footballers not just in England, but the world over, having boasted a hugely successful career on the pitch representing the likes of Manchester United, Real Madrid, and L.A. Galaxy.

Such was Beckham’s fame on the pitch that he was able to build a hugely successful brand off it, one that he used to make a number of very smart business decisions and investments.

The former England captain has made over $30 million through his company, DB Ventures Limited, and has pocketed even more through huge brand deals with companies such as Adidas, Pepsi, Sainsbury’s, Emporio Armani and much more. He has also been a patron for charities like Unicef, the Elton John AIDS Foundation and Help for Heroes.

Meanwhile, Beckham has kept plenty of his investments in the world of football. In 2014, he spent $25 million to establish the MLS’ newest club, Inter Miami, who are due to sign superstar Lionel Messi this summer. In 2019, Beckham linked up with Gary Neville and the rest of his ‘Class of 92’ teammates to invest in Salford City - taking a 10% stake in the club.



 
 

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