£5,000–£100,000 for a defined business need
Smaller requirements are welcome too. A stock purchase, tax bill or cash-flow gap still deserves a clear review of the purpose, timing and affordable repayments.
See how to start the reviewWorking capital · Investment · Growth
Business loans for UK companies
£5,000 to £1 million — standard routes
Larger requirements reviewed individually
Appropriate larger requirements, including into the millions, may be reviewed through lender and specialist partners. Availability depends on affordability, security, lender appetite and structure.
Finance stock, working capital, investment or growth. Tell us what your business needs to achieve and NBS will explore potentially suitable routes through lender and specialist partners.
NBS Finance is a commercial finance broker and introducer, not a lender. Any finance is subject to provider assessment and terms.
For a trading business with a commercial plan
You may be investing in stock, people or premises, taking on a contract, managing a temporary cash-flow gap or reviewing existing borrowing. The useful starting point is a defined business need and a credible source of repayment.
NBS primarily supports UK limited companies. Current accounts, trading performance, cash generation and existing commitments help explain whether the proposal is workable. There is no single turnover, profit or trading-history figure on this page that makes a business eligible; each provider sets its own criteria.
Start with the decision, then the funding structure
£100,000–£250,000 for a defined investment
Separate what you are buying from the cash needed to put it to work. Show the cost, any business contribution and how repayments fit current trading.
£250,000–£1 million for a more substantial proposal
Bring the project budget and existing borrowing into one view. Recent management figures matter where the last filed accounts no longer reflect the business.
More than £1 million or a complex requirement
The purpose, financial strength, security and transaction determine the possible route. A term loan may be only one option to assess.
Go straight to the relevant route
Explore the complete business-loan section
Choose the page closest to your business need, or compare the options before starting your enquiry.
No specified asset security
Unsecured business loans
Understand business assessment, possible personal guarantees and the evidence that may support an unsecured enquiry.
Property or asset security
Secured business loans
Review security, valuation, legal costs, default risks and the information a provider may request.
Short-term operating need
Working capital loans
Map payroll, stock, supplier, tax or contract timing gaps against a credible repayment source.
Investment or ownership change
Growth and acquisition finance
Build the case for expansion, premises, recruitment, systems, acquisitions or management buyouts.
Prepare the evidence
Business-loan application checklist
Use an interactive eight-point checklist and see the purpose-specific evidence that can reduce avoidable questions.
Make a structural choice
Secured vs unsecured guide
Compare security, guarantees, costs, process and risks side by side before reviewing actual offers.
Asset finance, property finance or invoice finance may fit the underlying need more closely. They are different structures, not interchangeable loan limits.
Read about personal guarantees if a provider asks for one. The funding calculator illustrates repayment assumptions; it is not a quote or an affordability decision.
A funding review before committing to one route
A direct lender considers a proposal against its own products and criteria. NBS starts with the business requirement: how much is needed, what it will fund, what already supports the business and how repayment is expected to work.
That can be useful when the need crosses product boundaries, when a growing company has outgrown a smaller facility, or when the first application does not explain the full picture. We help clarify the requirement and the relevant evidence, explore potentially appropriate partner routes and make introductions for provider assessment.
You can still compare a suitable direct offer. Consider usable cash, total cost, repayment timing, security and conditions across the actual written proposals. NBS does not promise a cheaper offer, approval or access to every lender.
NBS does not charge the client a separate broker fee. Providers set their own rates, charges, fees, security and terms. Ask about the complete cost before committing.
What a £180,000 business-loan requirement could look like
Hypothetical planning example — not a customer case, quote or lending criteria
An established distributor wants to support a new customer programme. The plan requires £220,000 in total, with £40,000 available from the business, leaving a £180,000 funding requirement.
| Use of cash | Illustrative cost | Question to resolve |
|---|---|---|
| Handling equipment | £50,000 | Would an asset-specific route fit the equipment purchase? |
| Opening stock | £80,000 | How quickly will stock sell and customers pay? |
| Recruitment and training | £20,000 | When do the additional staff become productive? |
| Operating cash during the build-up | £70,000 | What is the peak gap before receipts catch up? |
| Total project cost | £220,000 | Less £40,000 business contribution = £180,000 requested |
The review should distinguish long-lived equipment from stock and operating cash. It should also check order margins, customer concentration, existing repayments and what happens if sales or collections are delayed. A single loan, an asset-specific route or another structure may warrant discussion; this example does not establish that any option or combination is available.
You do not need a project identical to this one. The point is to connect the requested amount to a complete commercial plan, rather than choosing an amount because it appears in an advertisement.
What happens in the initial review
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Describe the requirement
Start the secure enquiry with the amount, purpose, timing, business details and current borrowing. Give the information you have; you do not need every document before the first review.
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Put the business case in context
NBS reviews the information and clarifies material gaps, such as a project budget, recent trading figures, the repayment source or an existing settlement balance.
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Explore an appropriate starting route
The requirement may fit a loan or another finance structure. Relevant information may be shared with appropriate finance partners under the authorisation explained in the enquiry form.
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Review any provider proposal
The provider carries out its own checks and decides whether to offer finance. Compare the written amount, total cost, repayments, security, guarantees and conditions before making a commitment.
Use the document checklist if you want to prepare bank statements, accounts and purpose evidence. There is no guaranteed decision or completion time.
Questions before you enquire
Do you consider smaller business-loan requirements?
Yes. Standard business-loan routes start from £5,000, and smaller requirements are welcome for review. Tell us the amount, what it will fund and when it is needed. Availability depends on the business, affordability and the provider’s criteria; a smaller request is not automatically approved.
Can an established company enquire for £100,000–£250,000?
Yes. Explain the amount, commercial purpose, timing, business performance and existing commitments. This is a core type of requirement NBS welcomes, not an approval band or a minimum turnover rule. A provider decides whether the business and proposal meet its criteria.
Can NBS review a requirement above £1 million?
Yes. Appropriate larger requirements, including into the millions, can be reviewed individually through lender and specialist partners. The amount, structure and availability depend on underwriting, affordability, security where relevant, lender appetite and the transaction. No particular facility is confirmed by making an enquiry.
Should I ask for secured or unsecured borrowing?
Start with the purpose and repayment case, and disclose available security and existing charges. An unsecured loan does not pledge a specified asset in the same way as a secured loan, but a personal guarantee may still be required. Secured assets can be at risk following default. The appropriate route depends on provider assessment.
Do I need every document before starting?
No. Start with a useful outline and explain what is missing. Recent bank statements, accounts or management figures, existing finance details and evidence of the purpose may be requested. The provider decides the exact documents and period it needs.
What should I compare if an offer is available?
Compare the cash the business actually receives, interest basis, every fee, total repayable, repayment frequency, term, any final balance, security, guarantees and exit conditions. A lower monthly payment alone does not establish a better outcome.
What if I do not know which product fits?
You can describe the business need in plain English. Use the general funding review if you want to explain the situation before identifying a route. Neither journey provides an automated approval or a guaranteed offer.
Explore more business-funding options
Choose a specific requirement or browse the A–Z site index.
Short-Term Business Loans
Revolving Credit Facilities
Business Tax Loans
VAT Loans for Businesses
Corporation Tax Loans
Stock Finance for Businesses
Supplier Finance for Businesses
Contract Mobilisation Finance
Payroll Finance for Businesses
Business Acquisition Finance
Management Buyout Finance
Business Refinance Loans
Start-Up Business Finance for Limited Companies
Business Finance After a Decline
Business Finance with Adverse Credit
Business Expansion Finance
Tell us what the borrowing needs to achieve
Share the amount, the business purpose and when you need the funds. Whether you need a smaller facility, a £100,000–£250,000 investment or a larger proposal, a clear outline is the first step towards a useful funding conversation.
The secure form explains how relevant information and documents may be shared with appropriate finance partners under your submission authorisation. An enquiry does not guarantee an offer.