Startup Business Loans between £1k – £500k

Everything You Need To Know:

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What is a start up loan?

Why choose us for your business start up loan?

How can I apply for a start up business loan?

What are the pros of startup business loans?

Can I get a start up loan with bad credit?

Do start up loans require personal guarantees?

Frequently Asked Questions

How to get a startup business loan?

Business owners can get a startup business loan from traditional lenders such as banks or alternative lenders, like online lenders and credit brokers. New businesses can find it particularly challenging to secure funding from lenders because they are perceived as ‘higher risk’.

Your chances of being approved decrease with a limited trading history and lack of considerable capital or collateral. Luckily, there has been a rise in alternative finance providers, and nowadays, start-ups have more options than ever before. You can receive loans for starting a business from:

• Online lenders
• The government
• Banks
• Investors

 

Online lenders & Credit Brokers

Online lenders and Credit Brokers provide financing options for businesses, making it easier for new businesses to get approved for quick finance. They provide start-ups with choice and flexibility, and some lenders even offer to fund businesses with bad credit.

Because applications can be completed entirely online, the whole process is sped up, and funds can be accessed in just 24 hours – as opposed to the weeks it can take to get approved by banks or the government.

As well as this, online lenders tend to have extremely transparent fees and loan terms. So, when you borrow as a business owner, you’ll know exactly how much you need to pay back and when you need to make repayments. Many lenders also offer more personalised services and will send you email and text reminders for deadlines to help you manage your finances.

• High approval rates
• All credit scores welcome
• Quick payouts

 

Traditional lenders

For centuries, traditional lenders, like banks, have been the go-to source of finance for companies. However, in this day and age, it can be challenging for SMEs to secure funding through such conventional means, and even harder for recently launched businesses to do so.

This is predominantly because banks now tend to focus on larger corporate borrowing, imposing rigorous application processes and strict lending criteria with low approval rates.

Applications with banks are lengthy; after submitting the relevant documents, you’ll probably need to schedule a follow-up or book an appointment with your local branch to discuss the application in person. It can take weeks or even months to hear back, and even longer to receive the funds in your account.

So, whilst you can often borrow larger amounts from banks, fresh ventures tend to struggle because their business models are unproven, and they have a lack of sales history.

• Strict lending criteria
• Good credit score required
• Payouts vary from weeks to months

 

Can I get a start-up business loan during COVID-19?

Due to the current economic climate, it may be difficult to receive a start-up business loan from some traditional lenders. Nonetheless, the lenders we work with at SME Loans are still operating and providing finance.

If you own a start-up and have struggled to secure a business start-up loan in the UK, you want to consider our guide to sources of finance in COVID-19. It includes financial products that the government is currently offering for startups, as well as alternative financing that is equally useful.

 

What is the interest rate like on start-up business loans?

The annual percentage rate on startup loans will vary depending on the lender and the type of finance product you’re applying for. Furthermore, factors such as monthly turnover, credit score and the age of the business can all affect the rate of interest. Therefore, it is difficult to pinpoint exactly how much the interest rate will be on a start-up business loan.

If you are unsure about the interest rate, always ask the lender that you are matched with how much the APR is.

See how SME Loans can help your startup.

Am I eligible for a start up business loan?

As a bare minimum to be eligible for a start-up business loan, your business is required to meet the following criteria:

• Business must have been trading for between 6 – 24 months.
• The business owner must be over the age of 18.
• The business must be registered in the United Kingdom.

As a bare minimum to be eligible for a start up business loan, your business is required to have been trading between 6-24 months. The business owner must be over 18-years-old and the business must be registered in the United Kingdom.

We offer venture business loans to all businesses in their first twenty-four months of operating. Whilst a business credit check forms a necessary part of the application, we aim to help all businesses, even those with poor credit, and our lenders will consider various factors before deciding.

What can I use a start-up business loan for?

Start-up loans come in the form of personal or business loans and can be used to help businesses that have been trading for less than 24 months. The loan can be used for business-related matters only, such as purchasing equipment, setup costs, recruitment, training and many other uses.

 

Practical uses of startup business loans

A new business loan is a cash injection that can propel business growth and success. Startups encounter considerable costs in their early stages. Areas where this funding could be useful include:

Set up costs: It’s expensive getting business ambitions set up, from administrative costs to buying enough stock to serve customer demands, external finance can aid initial outgoings.

Cash flow issues: The first few months of running a business can be the most challenging. New businesses often require a cash flow injection in order to keep things running smoothly; without external funding, this can be tricky to succeed alone.

New premises: This is often one of the highest costs when establishing a startup. Leasing or purchasing an appropriate premise is crucial to financial success but can often be one of the hardest things to obtain when setting up a new business.

Advertising & promotion: All businesses need to invest in PR and promotion. It is crucial for smaller businesses that need to establish a growing customer base. This money can help create and promote your brand, and fund the launch of marketing campaigns to spread the word.

Business website: When setting up a business, a company website is crucial to attracting customers and promoting your brand. Without a web developer, it can be costly to create a well-designed, high-tech site, which is another way business finance can come in handy. These days, over 50% of searches come from mobile devices, so make sure your website is optimised for mobile use!

Staff recruitment: As your business grows, you’ll need to hire more employees. It can be a financial strain getting new people on your team, but if you put this off and invest too late, it can harm your business’ success significantly.

 

Be careful when you borrow

Receiving an influx of cash for your business can be exciting and overwhelming at the same time. It’s important to sensibly and effectively utilise your loan to prevent common business spending mistakes.

1. Where possible, put your business funds in a separate account from your normal business account, transferring the money across as and when you need it.
2. Maintain a good rapport with your lender always. Keeping an open and honest dialogue ensures a good relationship should you have issues with future repayment deadlines.
3. Set up automatic repayments to make sure you are never late or miss payment deadlines.

What are the types of start-up business loans?

This form of finance is imperative for new business owners. There is a whole range of options available, and it’s important to do your research before making any hasty decisions. These are the main types of start-up business financing:

• Unsecured business loan
• Merchant cash advance
• Funding from Angel investors
• Bank funding
• Government funding
• Crowdfunding
• Business Credit Cards

These suit new businesses that are typically looking to borrow smaller amounts of money without providing collateral. Because they are ‘unsecured’, the lender will ask for business assets as collateral if the business fails to repay the loan. They usually have shorter repayment terms, and whilst unsecured start-up business loans are arguably less risky, they can come with slightly higher interest fees.

Merchant Cash Advance

A merchant cash advance is differs from a traditional loan because the money you pay back is calculated as a percentage of your earnings, which is ideal for keeping repayments in sync with cash flow.

This flexible funding option has no APR attached and is essentially an advance on the revenue your start up is predicted to make on future debit or credit card sales. We offer this innovative product to newly established businesses that are able to provide 4 months’ worth of card and business bank statements.

• Access between £5,000 and £500,000
• Keep 100% of the money generated through cash sales
• No interest charged, one inclusive fee

 

Business Credit Cards

If you’re looking for money, business credit cards may be a source of finance to consider. Often they are used as a short-term solution for borrowing money, rather than the long-term.

The other benefit of a business credit card is that it can be used by any business size, meaning it could be useful for start-ups that may only have a few personnel.

Often startups don’t have a great business credit score or history, but a business credit card can help build up a company’s credit rating if used correctly.

 

Angel investors

High-net-worth individuals, Angel investors look to invest their own money into potential business opportunities. As well as providing finance, they can also bring valuable ideas and advice to startups to help them get off the ground. Whilst Angel investors can be beneficial, there are some things to be aware of before choosing this type of financing:

Although you don’t have to pay your investor back the capital, you are handing over equity in your business and a portion of your future net earnings.

You can expect angel investors to take a hands-on approach. They will want to be an active part of decision-making regarding your startup.

 

Banks

It’s true that banks offer finance to businesses, but unfortunately, it’s incredibly difficult for new businesses to obtain this because they are the riskiest applicants banks encounter. These traditional lending facilities will often deny start up business loans due to a lack of experience, management and customer base.

Banks provide secured business loans that require you to offer up assets as collateral for the loan. By ‘securing’ the loan against assets, the lender has a way of reclaiming their money if your business defaults on payments.

Often traditional lenders will charge early repayment fees to recover the amount you would have paid them in interest.

 

Crowdfunding

A funding product that is growing in popularity, crowdfunding enables businesses to receive small amounts of money from a number of people to raise the needed capital for their business. The investment is either for debt, equity or reward.

Debt-based Crowdfunding

Also known as peer-to-peer lending, debt-based crowdfunding functions similarly to bank funding, except that you are lending from multiple different people. When using a peer-to-peer lending site, businesses get assessed for credit-worthiness before being improved.

Operating like marketplaces, bringing together lenders and those needing loans, it is the investors who can decide an appropriate interest rate. Whilst investors gain no physical reward nor any share in the business, instead they receive interest from the borrowing business on the money invested. Debt-based crowdfunding can be far riskier for startups than normal business loans:

1. Interest rates are usually far higher with peer-to-peer lending.
2. A lot of debt-based platforms change expensive fees to use their sites.
3. If you have a poor credit score, you might find yourself unable to obtain funding for your startup, and an unsuccessful application can further harm your credit report.

Equity crowdfunding

This is the process where people invest in a new venture in exchange for shares in the business. As a shareholder, the investor then has partial ownership of the company and can then profit if the company does well.

It was previously restricted to wealthy people and business angels, but equity crowdfunding platforms have opened this up so that more people can now invest. Equity crowdfunding can be a smart way of financing your business, but it does come with its disadvantages:

1. Almost all equity crowdfunding platforms charge monthly fees or success fees when matched with investors and granted money.
2. It can take a long time to acquire enough funding from investors.
3. You are forced to give up some ownership of your company.

Rewards crowdfunding

This crowdfunding option involves individuals contributing small amounts of money to a business in return for some form of reward. As a business owner, you will pitch your business on a platform and gain donations in return for rewards such as handmade products, thank you cards etc.

Rewards crowdfunding works well for startups in creative fields that want to test the market with their products or services. However, it comes with its own pitfalls:

1. If you don’t manage to reach your goal amount through investments, you will have to forfeit any raised funds.
2. You are relying on individual donations, so the amount you can obtain is relatively small.
3. If you don’t have a patent in place, you risk exposing your business ideas to potential competitors.

What are the best business start up loans UK?

It is difficult to determine which is the best business start-up loan in the UK, especially as start-ups have different funding requirements. Generally, a good quality start-up loan should include relatively low interest, a flexible repayment plan, and meet the funding amount a new business requires.

As a credit brokerage, SME Loans have access to a panel of lenders that are able to provide startup funding.

 

What are government start up loans?

Government start up loans are personal loans provided by the UK government up to £25,000. They can be used to start or grow a business and are offered alongside 1 year of free mentoring for business success. Repayment terms range from 1 – 5 years at a fixed interest rate of 6% per year.

• Application analyses creditworthiness, personal affordability and business viability.
• If your business ceases trading, repayments still have to be paid off in full.

What are examples of start up costs?

In 2017, Digimax conducted research to determine the strategies UK start-ups had used to make their businesses financial successes. Of those interviewed, 69% felt that underestimating costs was their biggest mistake.

Start up costs are the expenses incurred when creating your business. You should consider all operating costs for up to 12 months ahead. These include:

• Insurance and taxes (Employers Liability Insurance: This is a legal requirement as soon as you employ someone to work for your business. Fines can go up to £2,500 for every day you don’t have this insurance in place. Liability insurance protects all compensation claims made by employees for injuries caused at work.)
• Premises costs (including service charges and utility bills)
• Staffing and employment
• Stock purchase, delivery and storage
• Sales, advertising and marketing
• Website hosting
• Vehicle costs
• Any professional services from accountants, lawyers etc.

Once you have worked out your initial costs, calculate all your total overheads on a monthly basis spanning this 1 year period. Compare your costs against your sales forecasts, and if you don’t have enough working capital, you will then have a better idea of how much funding it is that you actually require and what a suitable loan amount is for you to apply for.

 

Consider hiring a professional to help with finances

Organising the finances of a new business can be particularly frustrating, and often leaves many new entrepreneurs feeling overwhelmed. There’s a lot of work that goes into creating any financial forecast, and this can be quite confusing for first-time entrepreneurs.

If you’re struggling, companies such as Unbiased are useful for finding affordable accountants and financial advisors to help aid the financial element of running a business. Hiring an accountant can be particularly useful, particularly due to their vast experience in helping other businesses. To learn more about hiring an accountant to help manage your startup finances, click here.

How should I register my start up?

1st Formations

If you’re looking to register your start-up, but are unsure of how to go about it, you can use 1st Formations. 1st Formations are a leading company formation agent based in the UK. Essentially, they’re one of the best at helping entrepreneurs register their startups.

Because they’re an authorised Companies House eFilings agent, it means they’re able to incorporate your startup within three hours. The service they provide is one of the most efficient and reliable in the UK, meaning you could start trading within a day.

1st Formations provide several registration packages for startups, but we’re going to look at the two most affordable and popular.

Digital Package – £12.99

The digital package provided by 1st Formations is the most basic package. Nonetheless, it contains everything you need to incorporate your business:

• Registration of your private limited company (£12 Companies House filing fee included).
• Free business bank account.
• Free online company manager.
• Free domain name (.com or .co.uk).
• An email copy of your Certificate of Incorporation.

Privacy Package – £19.99

The privacy package is for entrepreneurs who want to keep their home address private and secure. When incorporating a start-up, you will have to provide a business address. If you don’t have one, you will be asked for your home address which will be accessible to the public via the Companies House website.

For those who want to protect their privacy, the privacy package provides a business address to ensure that your home address remains private. The privacy package includes:

• Everything from the digital package
• A registered office based in London (WC2) for 12 months.
• One service address based in London (WC2) for 12 months.

 

How to register your business independently

In order to register your new business with Companies House, you will need to prepare:

• An appropriate company name. This cannot be the same as another company and must end in Limited or LTD. You can check the Companies House register to make sure you aren’t duplicating names.
• An address for your company. This must be a physical address in the UK and it can be your home address or the address of the person managing your Corporation Tax.
• The name of at least one director. Who will be legally responsible for running the company and preparing all accounts and reports.
• The details of at least one shareholder. As limited companies are limited by shares, they are owned by shareholders. As the director or business owner, you’ll own 100% of the company if you don’t have any other shareholders involved.
• Your Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code. A code that describes the nature of your business and the economic activity that you’re engaged in.

With all this information to hand, you can easily start a new business online. Once you’ve registered, you will receive a certificate of incorporation, confirming the business’s legal existence.

NB: After getting the certificate, you will have three months to apply for Corporation Tax before you get fined a penalty.

 

What does it mean to scale up a business?

As start-ups proceed to the growth stage, they are looking to increase revenue while keeping costs low. In this section, we’ll walk you through the growing pains that businesses experience when scaling up, and give you expert advice for successful exponential growth:

 

Invest in the right people

If you want your business to scale up effectively, you need to invest time and effort into recruiting the right people for growth. Are employees bringing innovative ideas to the business? Are they willing to take on unfamiliar challenges because they care about helping the business grow?

Many startups don’t achieve significant growth because they struggle to find staff with the required knowledge or skills, or more importantly – company fit. It’s important to take time to recruit people that share the same passion and genuine care for your business that you do.

Hiring employees on fixed-term contracts to start with can be a good way to gauge how emotionally invested they are to your business’s vision and success.

 

Timing is everything

A large proportion of startups fail because of premature scaling. It’s important not to be in too much of a rush to scale up your business. All startups need time to experiment with things like customer segmentation, customer acquisition costs and product features.

As your business scales up, accelerating product development capacity will be necessary. Before you do so, you must make sure that your core products or services have achieved market-fit.

 

Restructure roles when appropriate

As you take on more people, you must establish set roles and responsibilities suited to your employees’ skills. Functionalising roles will help to streamline your projects and priorities.

Adding management roles and duties will also help your business as you scale, as with effective managers in place to help guide your team, the business isn’t solely reliant on you as the owner.

Management and delegation will also empower your employees to work as hard as they can in order to move forward in your business.

 

Automate Processes

Before you can successfully scale your business, you’ll need access to bigger and better business resources to help manage time and streamline tasks. Automation technology allows you to eliminate timely processes and remain competitive. Where you can, try to find ways to automate:

1. Invest in Cloud storage to share business files easily and keep them securely backed up.
2. Schedule social updates using platforms like Hootsuite.
3. Send automated campaigns and mail outs using email service providers such as Mailchimp.

Keep your customer support interactions in one place using packages like Zendesk Suite.

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