Editorial ranking
Best UK business loans with bad credit
Editorial UK lender rankings from desk research, post-decline options included. FundBiz does not run a credit check. Where a lender publishes a decision or funding time, it is shown in the ranking below.
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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 one of the finance partners we work with, and we may be paid by the finance partners we introduce you to, by a fixed fee or commission depending on the partner and the finance arranged. It does not change what you pay.
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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- 1. Capify
Short-term business loans and supplier invoice payment · £10k to £3m · Decision in minutes; same-day funding on unsecured loans, 24 to 48 hours on secured (its own figures)
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: decision in minutes; same-day funding on unsecured loans, 24 to 48 hours on secured, its own figures.
Read full Capify review → - 2. JPM Capital
Specialist unsecured business loans, including post-decline cases · £5k to £50k (its own figure) · 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: typically 24 to 48 hours, its own figure.
Read full JPM Capital review → - 3. Bizcap
Specialist post-decline / fast cash · £5k to £1m (its own figure) · Decision in as little as 3 hours (its own figure)
Post-decline lender with a 4-month trading minimum; priced for higher-risk cases.
Our assessment: Decline-reason transparency: below average · Decision speed: decision in as little as 3 hours, its own figure.
Read full Bizcap review → -
Merchant cash advance (revenue-based finance) · £10k to £500k (its own figure) · Funds in as little as 24 hours (its own figure)
MCA where 365 says bad or poor credit history isn't a barrier; no security required.
Our assessment: Decline-reason transparency: average · Decision speed: funds in as little as 24 hours, its own figure.
Read full 365 Business Finance review →
Side-by-side comparison
| Lender | Typical rate | Ticket | Decision | Best for | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capify | Factor rate set by risk (not published) | £10k to £3m | Decision in minutes; same-day funding on unsecured loans, 24 to 48 hours on secured (its own figures) | UK businesses trading 12+ months with £10,000+ monthly turnover that need short-term funds quickly | Lender's site | |
| JPM Capital | Quoted per application (not published) | £5k to £50k (its own figure) | Typically 24 to 48 hours (its own figure) | Post-decline applicants needing an unsecured loan of £5,000 to £50,000 | Lender's site | |
| Bizcap | Factor rate set per application, plus an establishment fee | £5k to £1m (its own figure) | Decision in as little as 3 hours (its own figure) | Businesses already declined by mainstream lenders who still need cash this week | Lender's site | |
| 365 Business Finance | One fixed cost, repaid as a percentage of card sales (quoted per offer) | £10k to £500k (its own figure) | Funds in as little as 24 hours (its own figure) | Hospitality, retail and ecommerce Ltds trading 6+ months with £10k+ monthly card sales (365's published minimum) | Lender's site |
Source links go to the lender's own site, or to the page the figures on that row come from. Checked is the date we last checked them. Figures change, so confirm with the lender before you rely on one.
What counts as bad credit in UK SME 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: for example, borrowing £10,000 at a factor rate of 1.20 means repaying £12,000; repaid in equal daily amounts over six months, that works out at roughly 110% a year, because you repay as you go (our MCA APR converter shows the sum). 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 one of the finance partners we work with, 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. The full basis is in our methodology, linked below.
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
- Specialist commercial lenders for bespoke deals
Not for
Active winding-up petitions; undischarged bankruptcy or IVA; bankruptcy in last 12 months.
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