Business Loans UK
By Joshua Giles, Founder and Director · Reviewed by the CoreFi credit team
Last updated 20 July 2026
CoreFi is a broker, not a lender. We do not set rates and lenders make all credit decisions.
In short: A business loan gives a UK limited company a lump sum from £5k to £500k+, repaid over 1 to 6 years. Unsecured options pledge no assets and can fund quickly once bank statements are in. We are a broker and match your deal across a wide lender panel at no charge.
A business loan gives a UK limited company a lump sum repaid in fixed monthly instalments over one to six years. You know the total cost from day one, which is what makes it easier to plan around than an overdraft or a revolving line.
Unsecured lending is sized on trading history and turnover, usually up to one or two months of annual revenue. The lender who says yes to this is a fintech or challenger bank, not your high street branch. They move faster and their appetite for younger or leaner businesses is different in a way that actually matters. Secured lending, where you put property or assets in as first charge, reaches larger amounts and often sharper pricing, but it takes longer because of valuations and legals.
Common uses we place: stock purchases, bridging a VAT bill, hiring ahead of a signed contract, refinancing a director loan, covering a one-off capital spend. The lender reads your bank statements more closely than your business plan, so three to six months of clean trading history carries more weight than a pitch deck.
We are a broker, not a lender, so the rate is never ours to promise; the lender sets it against your profile. What we do is match your numbers to the lenders most likely to approve them, lay the options out in plain terms, and handle the paperwork. There is no fee to search and no obligation.
Key Benefits
- Unsecured amounts are sized on turnover, usually one to two months of revenue, so a £1M-turnover company is typically in the £80k to £160k range without pledging assets
- Fintech and challenger lenders decide in hours rather than weeks; on clean unsecured cases the hold-up is usually you gathering documents, not the lender
- Fixed monthly repayments across the full term keep your cash flow planning firm, with no variable-rate movement mid-deal
- A personal guarantee is standard on unsecured lending; we tell you exactly what each lender requires before you apply, so nothing lands as a surprise
Frequently Asked Questions
How much can my business borrow?
Unsecured lending is typically sized at one to two months of annual turnover, and most lenders cap unsecured at around £500k. A company turning over £600k a year usually sits in the £50k to £100k range unsecured. Put property or assets in as security and the number goes considerably higher. Your bank statements, trading history and credit profile set the ceiling.
Do I need security or a personal guarantee?
Unsecured loans need no property or assets, but almost every lender asks for a personal guarantee from a director. That means if the company cannot repay, the director is personally liable. Secured loans use a charge over property or assets instead and sometimes avoid a PG altogether. We tell you what each lender requires before you submit anything.
How fast can I get a business loan?
Unsecured loans can fund quickly once bank statements, recent accounts and ID are in, since the delay is almost always the applicant gathering documents rather than the lender. Secured lending takes longer because a surveyor has to value the asset and solicitors handle the charge, so allow three to six weeks at minimum.
Can I get a business loan with bad credit?
Often yes. Several lenders on our panel will consider CCJs, defaults or thin credit history. The rate will be higher and the amount lower than on a clean case, but approval is possible. We match your profile to the lenders with genuine appetite for it rather than sending you to banks who decline at the first credit check.
Related Funding Options
Small Business Loans UK
Small business loans from £5k to £250k for UK limited companies. We place unsecured facilities based on turnover & bank statements, not just credit scores. No fee to enquire.
Working Capital Finance UK: Revolving Credit, Invoice Finance & Short-Term Loans
Working capital finance for UK businesses: revolving credit, overdraft alternatives, invoice finance and short-term loans to cover the gap between paying out and getting paid. We place these across the market every week.
Business Loans for Bad Credit UK
UK businesses with CCJs, defaults or thin credit history can still access finance. The lender who says yes is rarely the high street. See which products work for adverse-credit profiles.
Business loans by location
Lender appetite varies by city and region. If you would rather start from where your business is based, these local guides cover the same funding with the local picture.
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Get matched with lendersCoreFi is a trading name of JG Core Ltd (Company #16218779, England & Wales). CoreFi acts as a commercial finance broker and does not provide regulated financial advice. All products described are unregulated business-to-business finance. Information on this page is for general guidance only and does not constitute a formal offer of finance. Terms, rates, and availability are subject to lender criteria and may change without notice.