A newly incorporated company can apply, but a short trading history means we have less information to assess. That does not rule you out; it simply shapes what we look at and the kind of offer we can make.
The challenge with new companies
Lending responsibly means understanding how a business performs over time. A company that has only just started trading has not yet built that picture, so we may have less to go on than for an established business.
What helps
- An active business bank account you can connect by Open Banking
- Real trading activity, even over a short period
- An accurate, up-to-date Companies House record
- A clear purpose for the finance that fits the business
If we cannot lend yet
If your company is too new for us to assess confidently, we may not be able to offer finance at this stage. Building a few months of genuine trading through your business account often makes a later application stronger.
We lend only to UK limited companies and LLPs, and the loan is to the company with no director personal guarantee. As business finance outside the consumer-credit regime, it is not covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service or FSCS.
For more detail, see how soon after incorporation a company can borrow, how much trading history we look at and which business types can apply.
See also: Can a charity or charitable company apply?, Can a CIC or community interest company apply?, Can a co-director apply with me?.