How do I send you a document you've asked for?

Sometimes, during or shortly after your application, we ask for a specific document so we can confirm a detail and move your case forward. This is a normal part of the process and usually means we are close to a decision rather than turning you away. This article explains where a genuine request appears, how to send the document safely, and what happens once it reaches us.

Where a genuine request appears

If we need something from you, the request shows up in two places you can trust: as a task or notice inside your portal when you sign in, and as a secure message on your account. We may also send a short heads-up by email or text to let you know there is something waiting — but that heads-up will only ever ask you to sign in to your portal in the normal way. It will never contain a link that takes you straight to a login or upload page, and it will never ask you to reply with the document attached.

What we ask for depends on what needs confirming. Common examples include:

• Proof of identity for the director applying — for example a current passport or UK driving licence.
• Proof of address — such as a recent utility bill or bank letter showing your name and address.
• A bank statement for the company's main business account, where we need a particular month or a complete document we could not read automatically.
• Company evidence — for instance confirmation of your role, or a document tying the application to the limited company or LLP that is borrowing.

The exact item, and the reason for it, will be stated in the request itself when you sign in. If you are ever unsure whether a request is genuine, do not act on the message in front of you — open your portal directly and check there.

How to send it securely through your portal

Always send the document through the portal, where the upload is encrypted and attached straight to your case. Please do not send documents as attachments to an ordinary email: regular email is not secure, it is easy to misaddress, and it separates your file from your application.

1. Sign in to your portal directly. Type the address yourself or use a link you have saved — not a link from a message you have just received.
2. Open the request. Go to the task, notice or secure message that names the document we have asked for, so the upload is matched to the right item.
3. Upload the file. Choose the document from your device and attach it at the step provided. You will see a confirmation once it has been received.
4. Check it has gone through. The request should update to show the document is with us. If it does not, try again or contact us before assuming it has arrived.

Accepted formats and getting a clear upload

For most documents a clear PDF works best — many banks and providers let you download statements and letters as PDFs directly. A clear photo or scan (such as a JPG or PNG) is fine for things like ID and proof of address. Whatever the format, the test is simple: we should be able to read every part of the document without guessing. These tips help your upload go through first time:

• Show the full document in frame. Capture all four corners and the whole page — nothing cut off, folded over or hidden under a thumb.
• Make sure it is in date. ID must be current and not expired; statements and bills should be recent, as named in the request.
• Keep it legible. Lay the document flat in good, even light, avoid glare and shadows, and hold the camera steady so the text is sharp.
• Send the original, not an edited copy. Do not crop out, retouch or cover any detail — an unaltered document is processed fastest.
• Prefer a direct download. For statements and letters, a PDF downloaded straight from your bank or provider is clearer and more reliable than a photograph of a screen.

If a file will not upload or is too large, contact us rather than emailing it — we would far rather help you send it safely than have it arrive by an insecure route.

How this differs from the application checklist

This is not the same as gathering everything you need before you apply. The application checklist is the standard set of things every applicant prepares up front — director ID, your company details, and the company's recent bank activity. A document request is a follow-up for one specific item, raised because something needs confirming on your particular case after you have started.

If you are at the start of the journey, or want to be ready before you begin, see what documents you need to apply and, for how we confirm the director's identity, ID verification when you apply. Those cover the up-front checklist; this article is about responding when we ask for one more thing along the way.

What happens after we receive it

Once your document is uploaded, it is attached to your case and reviewed against the reason we asked for it. In many cases a single missing item is the only thing standing between us and a decision, so sending it promptly and clearly is the quickest way to keep things moving. If what you send answers the question, your case carries on; if we still need something, we will tell you exactly what, in the same secure way.

A document request is also common when an application has been set aside for a closer look rather than given an instant yes or no. If that applies to you, what 'refer' means and what happens next explains the review and how supplying the requested item helps us reach a decision.

Staying safe: what we will never ask for

Sending documents to a lender is exactly the kind of moment scammers try to imitate, so it is worth knowing our firm lines. We will never ask you for your PIN, your online-banking or portal password, or a one-time security code — not by phone, text, email or any link. We will never tell you to move money to a "safe account", and we will never need your password to receive a document. A document goes up through your portal; a password or code never needs to leave you at all.

See also: Can a newly formed company apply?, Can a charity or charitable company apply?, Can a CIC or community interest company apply?.