Start Up Loans Company
Government-backed lender that suits pre-revenue founders, sub-12-month traders and pre-incorporation applicants who don't fit commercial lenders. Run by British Business Bank through delivery partners. The loan is to the founder personally rather than the company, which means it works for pre-incorporation cases that no commercial lender will touch. A fixed 7.5% a year interest rate with no arrangement fees is low for this applicant profile.
Quick verdict
- Product: Government-backed unsecured personal loan to fund a UK start-up.
- Ticket band: £500 to £25k per founder (max £100k per business).
- Pricing: Fixed 7.5% a year interest, no arrangement or early repayment fees.
At a glance
Start Up Loans Company, at a glance
- Legal entity
- The Start-Up Loans Company
- Companies House
- 08117656
- Founded
- 2012
- Product
- Government-backed unsecured personal loan to fund a UK start-up
- Ticket range
- £500 to £25k per founder (max £100k per business)
- Decision time
- 4 to 8 weeks
- Ltd-only
- No, the lender also accepts other structures
Where Start Up Loans Company is strong
- Open to pre-revenue and pre-incorporation founders that commercial lenders typically decline.
- A fixed 7.5% a year interest rate is typically cheaper than post-decline or MCA routes for the same applicant profile.
- Up to £25k per founder and £100k per business, which is enough to clear a typical first-12-months cash gap.
- Government-backed via British Business Bank, useful for founders who want a recognised institutional lender.
Watch-outs, and when another lender may suit better
- 4 to 8 week decision window is materially slower than fintech alternatives, so cash-this-month applicants need a different route.
- Loan is to the founder personally rather than the company, so the founder carries the personal-credit exposure.
- Mentorship and business-plan engagement requirement adds workload for applicants who just want money fast.
- Above £25k per founder the applicant has to either bring co-founders into the application or look at a commercial lender like iwoca or Capify.
Best fit applicants
- Pre-revenue founders that no commercial lender will engage with
- Sub-12-month trading Ltds where iwoca and Capify won't stretch
- Founders who want the cheapest money for the startup-stage profile and can wait 4 to 8 weeks
Where Start Up Loans Company is the wrong fit
- Speed-critical files needing cash this week, consider iwoca, Capify or YouLend
- Established Ltds with 12+ months trading, consider iwoca or Funding Circle for cheaper commercial money at speed
- Tickets above £25k per founder where co-founders aren't available, consider Funding Circle or Capify
If declined by Start Up Loans Company
If your application to Start Up Loans Company is declined, ask the lender for the reason in writing. Some alternatives are named in the watch-outs section above. See also our Start Up Loans Company decline guide for what to do next, and our side-by-side guide to Start Up Loans Company alternatives for the closest UK specialty finance providers.
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 Start Up Loans Company
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 Start Up Loans Company?
Start Up Loans Company offers government-backed unsecured personal loan to fund a uk start-up. Ticket range: £500 to £25k per founder (max £100k per business). Typical rate: Fixed 7.5% a year interest, no arrangement or early repayment fees.
How long does Start Up Loans Company take to decide?
4 to 8 weeks
Who is Start Up Loans Company the best fit for?
First on the list: Pre-revenue founders that no commercial lender will engage with. The full list is under Best fit applicants above.
When might another lender suit better than Start Up Loans Company?
First on the list: Speed-critical files needing cash this week, consider iwoca, Capify or YouLend. The other cases are under Where Start Up Loans Company is the wrong fit above.
Send an enquiry
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Send an enquiry →Official site: Start Up Loans Company
Last updated: . By Adam Parker. FundBiz is owned and operated by Best Business Loans Ltd, directed by Oliver Mackman.