Royal Bank of Scotland
Scotland-headquartered high-street bank within NatWest Group plc. Group lending criteria mirror NatWest, with regional routing for Scotland-based applicants and local-manager decision authority on relationship-led cases. Mainstream criteria: 2+ years trading, clean credit, established Ltd or LLP with RBS business banking.
Quick verdict
- Product: Business loans, overdrafts, asset finance, commercial mortgages.
- Ticket band: £1k to £500k+ unsecured; larger via secured facilities.
- Pricing: From around 7.5% to 12% APR for unsecured term loans.
At a glance
Royal Bank of Scotland, at a glance
- Legal entity
- The Royal Bank of Scotland plc
- Companies House
- SC083026
- Founded
- 1727
- Product
- Business loans, overdrafts, asset finance, commercial mortgages
- Ticket range
- £1k to £500k+ unsecured; larger via secured facilities
- Decision time
- 5 to 15 business days
- Ltd-only
- No, the lender also accepts other structures
Where Royal Bank of Scotland is strong
- Local-manager authority for Scotland-based relationship cases.
- Full product range from £1k overdrafts to commercial mortgages.
- NatWest Group balance sheet; FCA / PRA regulation; FSCS protection.
- Competitive APR for top-tier applicants with banking flow.
Watch-outs, and when another lender may suit better
- Hard credit search at application; no soft-search quote.
- Group criteria mirror NatWest; reapplying across both rarely changes the outcome.
- Decline rates high for sub-2-year trading and post-CCJ applicants.
- Slower than fintech alternatives.
Best fit applicants
- Scotland-based SMEs with RBS banking
- Established Ltd / LLP 2+ years trading
- Relationship-led mainstream cases
Where Royal Bank of Scotland is the wrong fit
- Sub-2-year trading
- Post-decline applicants
- Speed-prioritised cases
If declined by Royal Bank of Scotland
If your application to Royal Bank of Scotland is declined, ask the lender for the reason in writing. Some alternatives are named in the watch-outs section above. See also our guide to why lenders decline, by reason.
Other lenders we list
- 365 Business Finance, Merchant cash advance (revenue-based finance)
- Aldermore, Asset finance, invoice finance, commercial mortgages
- Allica Bank, SME term loan, asset finance + commercial mortgage
- Bizcap, Specialist post-decline / fast cash
How we rate Royal Bank of Scotland
This review is FundBiz's own editorial assessment, scored against a published framework. See our methodology for how we rate each lender.
FAQ
What can I borrow through Royal Bank of Scotland?
Royal Bank of Scotland offers business loans, overdrafts, asset finance, commercial mortgages. Ticket range: £1k to £500k+ unsecured; larger via secured facilities. Typical rate: From around 7.5% to 12% APR for unsecured term loans.
How long does Royal Bank of Scotland take to decide?
5 to 15 business days
Who is Royal Bank of Scotland the best fit for?
First on the list: Scotland-based SMEs with RBS banking. The full list is under Best fit applicants above.
When might another lender suit better than Royal Bank of Scotland?
First on the list: Sub-2-year trading. The other cases are under Where Royal Bank of Scotland is the wrong fit above.
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 →Official site: Royal Bank of Scotland
Last updated: . By Adam Parker. FundBiz is owned and operated by Best Business Loans Ltd, directed by Oliver Mackman.