Loan affordability self-check
Borrowing from us is expensive. It is built for one job: a short, urgent, time-bound cash-flow gap. Before you apply, use this to see the real cost and whether the repayments fit your cash flow. We collect nothing — this runs in your browser.
- Total to repay
- —
- Roughly per week
- —
This is a guide. For the full breakdown with a repayment schedule, use the live loan calculator.
Worked example
Borrow £300.00 over 42 days and you repay £336.50 in total — about £56.08 a week across 6 payments. Ask yourself honestly whether your takings can cover that on top of everything else.
There is a cap. Total interest and fees are capped at 100% of what you borrow, so you can never repay more than double — but that is still a lot for a short loan.
There are usually cheaper options
- A business overdraft — typically far cheaper if you have one in place.
- A business credit card — useful for short gaps you can clear within the billing cycle.
- Invoice finance — if customers owe you money, you can usually advance most of an invoice within a day.
- A grant — gov.uk's Business Finance Support Finder lists funding you may not have to repay.
- The Start Up Loans Company — a government-backed loan over a longer term at a lower rate.
- Asking a customer to pay early — sometimes the cheapest move of all.
If money is already tight, free and independent business-debt advice is available from Business Debtline (0800 197 6026), and the Federation of Small Businesses supports small firms.
See the same honest advice on our business loan page, or compare the revolving Credicorp Flex.
Already borrowing and worried about a payment? See Help with payments — talk to us early.