UK PE fundraising in 2026 – what the data shows so far.
Sub-£150m funds have seen their share of capital fall from 5.2% to 1.3% since 2021. LP liquidity remains constrained. And the market is increasingly rewarding track record and sector specialism over strategy alone.
We put together a short update on what is actually happening in UK lower mid-market fundraising this year – what is getting funded, the structural shift to deal-by-deal, and what the numbers say about where LP capital is going.
Key findings:
• Atlas Health raised £400m for a debut fund in four months
• WestBridge closed at double the size of its predecessor
• Independent sponsors are delivering a 23.8% median IRR vs 18.5% for comparable buyouts
• 30+ new UK mid-market buyout firms since 2025
Download the PDF below to read more.
