Business loans for established businesses.
Funding built around a proven trading record. Compare structures from £5,000 to £5,000,000 for expansion, equipment, stock, refinancing and working capital, with repayment shapes that match how the business trades.
Quick estimate
See an indicative repayment
Indicative monthly repayment
£4,500 to £5,625
Illustration only, based on a range of typical total costs. Actual pricing depends on trading history, sector, term, amount and credit profile, and differs between providers.
An established business brings something a young company cannot: filed accounts, a payment history and a bank record that shows how revenue behaves across a full trading cycle. That evidence is what underwriters price against.
The practical benefit is choice. With two or more years of history, a business can usually be assessed for a fixed term loan, a revenue linked facility, secured lending against an asset, or a combination, rather than being limited to one structure. Amounts, cost and term still depend on turnover, affordability, sector and credit profile.
Best suited for
- Companies with two or more years of filed accounts
- Expansion, second sites or larger capital projects
- Refinancing older or more expensive facilities
- Funding a known seasonal working capital gap
How it works
Share the trading picture
Amount, purpose, turnover and how long the business has traded. A short enquiry is enough to start.
Underwriting reads the record
Filed accounts, management figures and bank conduct are reviewed together to size an affordable facility.
Compare written terms
Cost, term, security and total repayable are set out in writing before any decision is made.
Eligibility at a glance
A short list of the information commonly considered. Eligibility and available terms depend on the individual business and facility.
- UK-registered limited company or LLP
- Ideally two or more years of trading history
- Filed accounts or up to date management figures
- A UK business bank account
- 3–6 months of business bank statements
- No active formal insolvency proceedings
Careful with your data, clear about your terms.
Commercial lending sits outside the FCA perimeter, so the protections of a regulated agreement do not apply. We set out how we work so you can judge it for yourself.
Your data is used to assess your enquiry, never sold or passed on for third party marketing.
Every page and every submission is served over TLS.
Where used, access is read only through FCA authorised providers and can be revoked at any time.
Finance for UK registered businesses and business purposes, not consumer credit.
The initial form is an enquiry. If a credit search is needed later, its type and impact will be explained first.
Total repayable, term, fees and any security stated in writing before you sign.
What lenders mean by an established business
There is no single legal definition. In practice, UK funders treat a business as established once it has filed at least one full set of accounts and can show a second year of consistent trading. Some assess from 12 months where turnover is steady and bank conduct is clean, while others prefer three years before considering larger secured facilities.
Trading age on its own is rarely the deciding factor. A five year old company with irregular income and returned direct debits can be a harder file than a two year old company with predictable monthly revenue and no missed payments.
What an established record changes in underwriting
Longer history gives an underwriter more than one data source. Filed accounts show margin and balance sheet position, management figures show the current year, and bank statements show the rhythm of cash actually moving. Where all three agree, the file is easier to assess.
It also allows comparison across a full cycle. A seasonal business can be judged on twelve months rather than a quiet quarter, which often supports a more sensible facility size than a snapshot would.
Existing borrowing is reviewed as part of the same picture. Monthly service on current facilities is deducted before affordability is considered, so disclosing every agreement up front avoids a revised offer later.
Choosing the right structure once you have options
A fixed term loan suits a defined project with a payback horizon of roughly 12 to 24 months, because the monthly outflow is known and can be modelled. Refinancing existing debt into a single repayment often falls into the same category.
Where income varies month to month, a revenue linked facility or a merchant cash advance can sit more comfortably against trading. Where a tangible asset is involved, secured or asset lending may support a larger amount against the same turnover.
Compare total cost and monthly cash impact side by side, not one in isolation. The cheapest headline figure is not always the structure the business can service most comfortably.
Established versus early stage business funding
| Factor | Established business | Under 12 months trading |
|---|---|---|
| Evidence available | Filed accounts and bank history | Bank statements and forecasts |
| Typical amounts | Linked to turnover and affordability | Usually smaller facilities |
| Structures considered | Term, revenue linked, secured, asset | Often short term or revenue linked |
| Security | Depends on amount and offer | Depends on amount and offer |
| Key document | Two years of accounts | 3–6 months of statements |
Explore by need
What do you need funding for?
Bridge a cash flow gap
Cover a quiet month or a slow paying customer.
See options →Pay a VAT or tax bill
Spread a large HMRC bill over a set term.
See options →Buy stock or equipment
Spread the cost of a known purchase.
See options →Card takings business
Repayments that follow your card sales.
See options →Grow online revenue
Funding linked to monthly revenue.
See options →Expand or hire
Fixed monthly repayments over a set term.
See options →Frequently asked
What counts as an established business for funding purposes?
Most UK lenders treat a business as established once it has two or more years of filed accounts, a consistent trading record and a clean payment history. Some will consider 12 to 24 months of trading where turnover and bank conduct are strong.
Do established businesses get better terms?
A longer trading record usually gives underwriters more evidence to price against, which can widen the range of structures available. Actual terms still depend on turnover, sector, credit profile, existing debt and the amount requested.
How much can an established business borrow?
Facilities on this site range from £5,000 to £5,000,000. The amount offered is normally linked to turnover, affordability and the purpose of the funding rather than trading age alone.
What documents are usually requested?
Typically the last two sets of filed accounts, up to date management figures, three to six months of business bank statements, director identification and details of any existing finance.
Can an established business with existing debt still apply?
Yes. Existing facilities are assessed as part of affordability. Being open about current balances, monthly service and any previous arrangements helps underwriting review the file properly.
Related guides
Authoritative UK references
Independent sources cited on this page.
- Companies House, file your annual accounts GOV.UK
- British Business Bank, finance options British Business Bank
- FCA, Register of authorised firms Financial Conduct Authority
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