Independent ranking
Best UK business loans with bad credit
Independent UK lender rankings from desk research, post-decline options included. FundBiz does not run a credit check. Typical decision times vary by product and lender and are stated in the ranking below.
Start here · What do you need?
Bad credit means different things to different lenders. CCJs, missed payments, defaults and post-IVA all face different acceptance bars. These lenders engage with applicants the high-street banks reject. This FundBiz ranking assesses 4 UK lenders for "best uk business loans with bad credit", weighting primarily on bad-credit acceptance (40%), decline-reason transparency (25%), decision speed (15%) (see the full weighted criteria below). Scores are our own desk-research assessment built from the FCA Register, Companies House filings and each lender's published product criteria, not customer reviews and not paid placement. Lenders don't pay for inclusion or rankings. If you send an enquiry, we pass it to a business finance broker, who pays us a fixed fee; you pay nothing.
Source: FundBiz methodology. Editorial by Best Business Loans Ltd (16833937).
Founder & Managing Director, Muswell Rose, FundBiz
Adam is the founder and managing director of Muswell Rose and a founder of Best Business Loans Ltd, the company behind FundBiz. His background runs through commercial finance, mortgages and fintech, including as managing director of an invoice finance business. He oversees FundBiz's guides and lender reviews.
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Short-term business loans and supplier invoice payment · £10k to £3m · Typically 24 to 48 hours; same-day funding available
Assesses cash flow and trading history rather than relying only on credit scores, by Capify's own account.
Our assessment: Decline-reason transparency: average · Decision speed: top tier (typically 24 to 48 hours; same-day funding available).
Read full Capify review → -
Specialist unsecured business loans, including post-decline cases · £5k to £50k · Typically 24 to 48 hours (its own figure)
Unsecured loans of £5,000 to £50,000 that it says can help bad-credit cases.
Our assessment: Decline-reason transparency: average · Decision speed: top tier (typically 24 to 48 hours (its own figure)).
Read full JPM Capital review → -
Specialist post-decline / fast cash · £5k to £1m · Approval in as little as 3 hours
Post-decline lender with a 4-month trading minimum; priced for higher-risk cases.
Our assessment: Decline-reason transparency: below average · Decision speed: top tier (approval in as little as 3 hours).
Read full Bizcap review → -
Merchant cash advance (revenue-based finance) · £10k to £500k · Funding in as little as 24 hours
MCA where 365 says bad or poor credit history isn't a barrier; no security required.
Our assessment: Decline-reason transparency: average · Decision speed: strong (funding in as little as 24 hours).
Read full 365 Business Finance review →
Side-by-side comparison
| Lender | Typical rate | Ticket | Decision | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capify | Factor rate set by risk (not published) | £10k to £3m | Typically 24 to 48 hours; same-day funding available | UK businesses trading 12+ months with £10,000+ monthly turnover that need short-term funds quickly |
| JPM Capital | Quoted per application (not published) | £5k to £50k | Typically 24 to 48 hours (its own figure) | Post-decline applicants needing an unsecured loan of £5,000 to £50,000 |
| Bizcap | Factor rate set per application, plus an establishment fee | £5k to £1m | Approval in as little as 3 hours | Businesses already declined by mainstream lenders who still need cash this week |
| 365 Business Finance | One fixed cost, repaid as a percentage of card sales (quoted per offer) | £10k to £500k | Funding in as little as 24 hours | Hospitality, retail and ecommerce Ltds trading 6+ months with £10k+ monthly card sales (365's published minimum) |
Sources: each lender's own published product pages: Capify · JPM Capital · Bizcap · 365 Business Finance. Figures change; confirm with the lender before you rely on one.
What counts as bad credit in UK SMB lending?
CCJs (registered or satisfied), defaults, missed payments inside 12 months, IVA history, recent winding-up petitions, or a weak personal credit history on the director file. Each lender draws the line in a different place.
Which UK lenders accept CCJs on a business loan application?
Capify, JPM Capital and Bizcap consider applicants with credit problems, and 365 Business Finance says poor credit history isn't a barrier to its advances. How each treats a CCJ depends on its size, age and whether it's satisfied, so ask before applying.
What rate should I expect on a UK bad-credit business loan?
Expect a high cost. Post-decline lenders price for risk and many quote a factor rate rather than an APR: a factor rate of 1.20 repaid daily over six months works out at roughly 110% APR. The better prices go to satisfied CCJs and stronger trading.
Are there fees specific to UK bad-credit business borrowing?
Sometimes. Bizcap, for example, charges an establishment fee on top of its factor rate. Read the term sheet carefully; effective APR including fees is the only fair comparison.
Can I improve my chances after a UK business loan decline?
Yes. Three steps. First, satisfy any open CCJs where affordable; satisfied is materially better than unsatisfied. Second, build six months of clean bank statements before reapplying. Third, consider a business finance broker, who can suggest lenders that fit your decline reason.
How we ranked these
We weight bad-credit acceptance (40%), decline-reason transparency (25%), decision speed (15%), eligibility breadth (10%), transparency (10%). Rankings reflect our published editorial methodology, not any commercial arrangement. See our /methodology/ for the full basis.
Methodology weights
Weights specific to "Best UK business loans with bad credit":
- Bad-credit acceptance40%
- Decline-reason transparency25%
- Decision speed15%
- Eligibility breadth10%
- Transparency10%
Read the full methodology for how we score and rank the lenders we review.
Also considered
- Acorn Commercial Finance for asset-backed cases
- Specialist commercial brokers for bespoke deals
Not for
Active winding-up petitions; undischarged bankruptcy or IVA; bankruptcy in last 12 months.
Send an enquiry
Tell us what you need in 2 minutes. FundBiz is not a lender and does not run a credit check. We pass your enquiry to a business finance broker, who will contact you about your options. For limited companies, LLPs and partnerships with four or more partners.
Send an enquiry →FundBiz is owned and operated by Best Business Loans Ltd, directed by Oliver Mackman. Editorial by Best Business Loans Ltd (16833937).