The company applying needs its own UK business bank account, in its own name. Where money for several businesses runs through one shared account, the affordability picture is muddier, which can slow or complicate an application — clean, separate banking makes everything clearer.
Why separation matters
We assess affordability from the applicant company's account activity. If that account is really carrying two or more businesses, it is hard to see which trading and outgoings belong to which — and responsible assessment gets harder. Which accounts qualify is in which business bank accounts you can connect.
A separate account per company is not just cleaner for us — it is good practice generally, and it makes each application straightforward. Group and connected structures are covered in can a holding company or group company apply and can i apply if a director is shared with another business.
If accounts are shared for now
You can still apply, but expect a closer look and possibly a request for context — what documents we might ask you to provide. Opening a dedicated account and letting activity build makes a future application cleaner — can i apply if my business bank account is new.
Apply with the company's own account.
We lend only to UK limited companies and LLPs, the loan is to the company with no director personal guarantee, and this is business finance outside the consumer-credit regime — as an exempt lender under Article 60B of the Regulated Activities Order we sit outside FCA consumer-credit regulation, so the Financial Ombudsman Service and FSCS do not apply.
See also: Which business bank accounts you can connect?, Can a holding company or group company apply, Can I apply if my company only recently opened its business bank account?.