Startup 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: For new UK limited companies, CoreFi brokers early-stage commercial finance: asset finance, invoice finance and lender-backed startup facilities. The government Start Up Loan is a personal, regulated product issued in a director's own name and up to £25,000, so it sits outside what we arrange; we point you straight to the official British Business Bank scheme instead. No lender or rate is guaranteed.
Most new limited companies cannot walk into a high-street bank and get an unsecured loan on day one. Lenders want trading history, and you do not have much of it yet. What you can usually access from the start is asset finance, where the lender is secured on the equipment so your age matters less. Invoice finance opens up once you are billing customers. Beyond that, a handful of lenders back early-stage Ltd companies on the strength of the directors and a credible plan.
One thing to be straight about. The government Start Up Loan is a personal loan issued in a director's own name, up to £25,000, and it is regulated consumer credit. We do not broker it. You do not need a broker for it either, because the scheme runs through the British Business Bank directly, so we point you there and get on with the commercial side.
For that commercial side, incorporated startups (Ltd companies and LLPs) are what we work with. We place the deal with the lender whose appetite actually fits: the asset lender who funds your kit, the invoice funder who will look at a young book, or the early-stage facility for a company that can evidence a pipeline. No lender is guaranteed and we cannot promise a rate, but we know who is writing new-business deals right now and who has gone quiet.
Key Benefits
- Asset finance can work from day one because the lender holds security on the equipment rather than relying on your trading record
- Invoice finance opens up once you are raising invoices, even with a thin credit file
- A small pool of lenders will back Ltd company startups on director strength and a credible plan, and they price that risk carefully
- The government Start Up Loan (personal, regulated, up to £25,000 per individual) is not brokered by us; we point you to the official British Business Bank scheme
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a brand-new company get finance?
Yes, though the options are narrower than for an established business. Asset finance is the most accessible route because the lender is secured on the equipment rather than on your trading history. Invoice finance opens up once you are billing. A small number of lenders will consider unsecured facilities for early-stage Ltd companies, but they look hard at the directors, the sector and the plan. No lender is guaranteed and we cannot promise a rate.
What about the government Start Up Loan?
The Start Up Loan is a personal loan in a director's own name, up to £25,000, and it is regulated consumer credit. CoreFi brokers unregulated commercial finance for limited companies, so we do not broker this product. We point you to the official British Business Bank scheme, where you can apply directly without a broker.
Do I need to be a limited company?
For the commercial finance we arrange, yes. An incorporated entity (Ltd or LLP) gives you the most options and keeps the borrowing out of your personal name. Sole traders or partnerships looking for personal startup credit are pointed to the appropriate regulated route, which is not something we broker.
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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.