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Learn how business lenders assess adverse credit, including CCJs, defaults and missed payments, and why recency, severity and current performance matter.

Does a satisfied CCJ affect a business loan application? Learn how lenders assess paid CCJs, including their age, amount and subsequent financial conduct.

Business loan declined? Learn what to check before applying again, including cash flow, existing debt, credit history, bank conduct and loan affordability.

Find out why business loan applications are declined, including cash flow, existing debt, bad credit, bank conduct, trading history and affordability.

There isn't a single credit score that you need to get a business loan. Unlike some forms of consumer lending, business lenders don't all use the same credit scoring system or apply the same minimum score. A score that is acceptable to one lender may fall outside another lender's criteria. Some lenders rely heavily on automated credit scores. Others use manual underwriting and consider the information behind the score alongside the company's turnover, cash flow, bank conduct,

Missing a repayment on an existing business loan doesn't necessarily mean your company cannot obtain further finance. However, recent missed loan payments are likely to be taken seriously by a new lender because they can indicate that the business is already struggling to meet its existing financial commitments. The circumstances matter considerably. A single missed payment caused by a temporary timing issue can present a very different risk from a business that has repeatedl

Yes, potentially. A previous default on a loan or other credit agreement doesn't necessarily prevent a business from borrowing again. However, lenders are likely to take a previous default seriously because it provides direct evidence that a borrower has previously failed to meet its agreed credit obligations. The important questions are usually when the default occurred, what caused it, how much was involved, whether the debt was ultimately repaid and how the business has co

Yes, potentially. A County Court Judgment (CCJ) against a director does not automatically mean that their limited company cannot obtain a business loan. A limited company is legally separate from its directors, so a personal CCJ against a director is different from a judgment registered against the company itself. However, business lenders may also assess the people behind an SME, particularly directors, significant shareholders and anyone providing a personal guarantee. A di

Can you get a business loan with a CCJ? Learn how lenders assess the age, amount and status of a CCJ alongside your business's current financial position.

Having bad credit doesn't necessarily mean your business cannot get a loan. Different business lenders have different approaches to credit risk. Some require a relatively clean credit history, while others are prepared to consider applications involving CCJs, previous defaults, missed payments or other adverse credit. For many SME lenders, the important question isn't simply whether adverse credit exists. It is what happened, when it happened, how serious it was and what the

Find out whether applying for a business loan affects your credit score, including the difference between soft and hard searches and searches on directors.

Compare business loans and overdrafts, including costs, flexibility, repayments and when each type of business finance may be more appropriate.

Can a new business get a loan? Learn how trading history, turnover, cash flow, accounts and management experience affect finance for newer businesses.

Find out how long a business normally needs to have been trading to get a loan and how lenders assess newer and established businesses.

Find out how limited company business loans work, how much a company can borrow and how lenders assess directors, credit, cash flow and guarantees.

Find out whether a business loan affects your personal credit score, when lenders search directors and how personal guarantees and hard searches work.

Learn how personal guarantees on business loans work, what directors can be liable for, whether your home is at risk and what happens if the company defaults.

Compare secured and unsecured business loans, including loan amounts, repayment terms, interest rates, security, personal guarantees and completion times.

Learn how unsecured business loans work, how much businesses can borrow, what lenders assess and when a personal guarantee may be required.

Find out how long a business loan can take, from same-day unsecured lending to secured loans, and what can speed up or delay an application.