Key takeaways
- Funding Circle business loans run from £10,000 to £750,000 over 6 months to 6 years, with fixed rates from 6.9% a year (checked 6 November 2026).
- To apply for a Funding Circle business loan your business must be based in the UK and have been trading for 1 year or more.
- Funding Circle charges a one-off completion fee on its loans but no fee for early repayment or overpayment.
- A personal guarantee is required on Funding Circle loans if you are approved, including Growth Guarantee Scheme loans.
- Funding Circle's Growth Guarantee Scheme loans run from £25,001 to £250,000 for limited companies trading at least 2 years with turnover under £30 million.
- FlexiPay is a Funding Circle line of credit of up to £250,000 that lets a limited company split payments into 1, 3, 6, 9 or 12 monthly instalments.
- Funding Circle Ltd is authorised and regulated by the FCA (firm reference 722513); loans are not covered by the FSCS.
Funding Circle is a UK online lender that offers business loans of £10,000 to £750,000 over 6 months to 6 years, with fixed rates from 6.9% a year. You need to be a UK business that has traded for at least a year, and a director must give a personal guarantee. This review uses Funding Circle’s own pages, checked on 6 November 2026, and does not give a score or verdict.
What is Funding Circle?
Funding Circle is an online lender to small and medium-sized UK businesses, run by Funding Circle Ltd (company number 06968588, registered office 71 Queen Victoria Street, London EC4V 4AY). It says it has lent £18 billion to UK businesses and supported more than 135,000 of them.
Funding Circle Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, firm reference 722513. It is a lender, not a bank, so there is no deposit account and no FSCS cover.
What does Funding Circle offer?
Funding Circle offers five products directly and asset finance through partners. These are the headline terms from its UK homepage, checked on 6 November 2026.
| Product | Amount | Term and price |
|---|---|---|
| Business loan | £10,000 to £750,000 | Up to 6 years, from 6.9% a year |
| Government-backed (GGS) loan | £25,001 to £250,000 | Up to 6 years, from 13.4% a year |
| Shorter term loan | £10,000 to £750,000 | Up to 12 months, variable |
| FlexiPay line of credit | Up to £250,000 | 1 to 12 instalments, fee per use |
| Cashback credit card | £1,000 to £250,000 | From 14.9% a year, no monthly fee |
| Asset finance (partners) | £10,000 to £5 million | Up to 7 years, varies |
Your actual rate depends on your credit profile and financial information. Funding Circle does not publish a representative APR on its business loans page.
How much does a Funding Circle loan cost?
A Funding Circle loan costs interest at a fixed rate plus a one-off completion fee, with no penalty for paying early. The business loans page does not state the completion fee as a percentage.
Its indicative calculator shows a £100,000 loan with a £6,900 completion fee, £9,252 of interest and £4,840 a month, a total of £116,152. The page does not label the term, so treat this as an example only and ask for your own quote.
Repayments start one month after funding, by Direct Debit. To compare prices across lenders, see our guide to business loan interest rates.
Who can get a Funding Circle loan?
You can apply for a standard business loan if your business is based in the UK and has traded for 1 year or more. Funding Circle asks for:
- business bank statements for up to the last eight months
- your latest full, unabbreviated accounts
- a personal guarantee from a director if you are approved
Limited companies and LLPs can check eligibility without affecting their credit score. The page does not set a minimum turnover for the standard loan, and does not say clearly whether sole traders qualify.
How do Funding Circle GGS loans work?
Funding Circle’s government-backed loans run under the Growth Guarantee Scheme, which the British Business Bank administers for the Secretary of State for Business and Trade. The scheme gives the lender a 70% guarantee, but your business stays liable for 100% of the debt.
Funding Circle’s own GGS criteria are narrower than the national scheme:
- a limited company trading in the UK for at least 2 years
- turnover under £30 million
- a business purpose, such as working capital or investment
- not in financial difficulty or collective insolvency proceedings
Loans run from 2 to 6 years at a fixed rate. A personal guarantee is still required, but your main home cannot be taken as security under the scheme.
What is FlexiPay?
FlexiPay is a Funding Circle line of credit of up to £250,000 for limited companies that lets you pay a bill upfront and spread the cost. You pick 1, 3, 6, 9 or 12 monthly instalments and pay a flat fee per transaction, with no interest or annual fee.
The FlexiPay page says fees start from 1.99% per use. Its examples on £1,000 show £39.90 over 3 months, £79.90 over 6 months and £159.90 over 12 months. The minimum bill payment is £100, and Section 75 protection does not apply.
Which applies to you?
- If you have traded under a year, you do not meet Funding Circle’s standard loan criteria. See startup loans.
- If you want a fixed monthly repayment over several years, the standard business loan fits that shape.
- If you are a limited company trading 2 years or more and want government backing, the GGS loan may apply.
- If you need to spread supplier bills over a few months, FlexiPay is built for that.
- If you cannot give a personal guarantee, Funding Circle loans are not an option.
How to apply
- Check eligibility online, which Funding Circle says takes about 30 seconds.
- Complete the application, which takes about 7 minutes.
- Upload bank statements and your latest full accounts.
- Get a decision, in as little as 5 minutes for some applications.
- Accept the offer and sign the personal guarantee; funds typically arrive within 48 hours.
You can call Funding Circle on 0800 048 2467, Monday to Thursday 9am to 6pm and Friday 9am to 4.30pm.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum Funding Circle loan?
The minimum standard business loan is £10,000, and the maximum is £750,000. Government-backed GGS loans start at £25,001.
Does Funding Circle charge early repayment fees?
No. Funding Circle says there is no fee for repaying early or overpaying, but the one-off completion fee is still charged at drawdown.
Does Funding Circle need a personal guarantee?
Yes. A personal guarantee is required if you are approved, including on Growth Guarantee Scheme loans.
Does applying to Funding Circle affect my credit score?
Limited companies and LLPs can get a decision without affecting their credit score, according to Funding Circle.
How long has my business got to be trading?
You need to have traded for 1 year or more for a standard loan, and at least 2 years for a GGS loan.
Is Funding Circle regulated?
Yes. Funding Circle Ltd is authorised and regulated by the FCA under firm reference 722513, but its loans are not covered by the FSCS.
Sources
Rates, thresholds and rules in this guide were checked against HMRC and GOV.UK guidance on 6 November 2026. Tax rules change, so check the current position on GOV.UK or with a qualified adviser before acting. This guide is general information, not personal advice.