Do you consider applications with adverse credit, CCJs, or historic arrears?

Short answer — yes, often. We can help you explore options even with past credit issues, but acceptance depends on lender criteria, the age and severity of the record, and the overall strength of your business application.

What we mean by adverse credit, CCJs and historic arrears

Adverse credit can include late payments, defaults, County Court Judgements (CCJs), Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs), bankruptcies, or business arrears noted on credit files.

Historic arrears are past instances of missed payments that have since been resolved or that are no longer recent.

Each lender treats these issues differently depending on type, age, value and whether the record is satisfied or ongoing.

How lenders typically view credit issues

Lenders assess risk by combining credit history with the business’s current financial performance, sector, turnover, and security offered.

Recent defaults, unsatisfied CCJs or unresolved arrears raise immediate red flags and reduce the number of lenders willing to consider the application.

Older, satisfied CCJs or minor historic arrears are often treated more leniently, especially if the business shows consistent trading income and clear plans for use of funds.

Types of finance that are more likely to accept imperfect credit

Some funding routes are more flexible for applicants with adverse credit; these include asset finance, invoice finance, merchant cash advances, and specialist bridging or short-term business loans.

Asset finance can be attractive because the asset itself provides security, and some lenders focus on the asset’s value rather than the credit score alone.

Invoice finance and asset-backed lending are commonly available to businesses with weaker credit if they have qualifying invoices or tangible assets to secure the deal.

How Best Business Loans helps businesses with adverse credit

We do not provide loans ourselves — we match your business to lenders and brokers in our network who may consider applications with adverse credit, CCJs or historic arrears.

Our AI-driven Quick Quote routes your enquiry to providers whose accepted risk profiles best match your situation, increasing the chance of a considered response.

We advise full disclosure of credit history at the initial stage so lenders can run accurate eligibility checks and avoid hard-search surprises.

If asset-backed options are relevant, we can link you to specialist providers for equipment or vehicle funding — for example, see our dedicated asset finance guidance here: Asset Finance.

Where appropriate, we suggest approaches like providing additional security, offering director guarantees, or demonstrating strong forward cashflow forecasts to offset past credit issues.

Practical steps, documentation and next actions

Step 1: Gather documents — management accounts, bank statements, VAT returns, recent credit reports and any evidence of satisfied CCJs or payment plans.

Step 2: Prepare a short explanation that outlines the reasons for past issues and the corrective actions taken, such as debt rescheduling, increased revenues, or new contracts.

Step 3: Use our Quick Quote to get a Decision in Principle or an eligibility check so you know which lenders will consider your case without multiple hard searches.

We always recommend honesty — hiding adverse credit can lead to declined offers later and damage credibility with lenders.

If you’re unsure which product fits your needs, our matching process narrows options and connects you to suitable brokers or lenders for tailored advice.

Why age, status and context matter

Most lenders give greater weight to recent adverse events than to older ones.

An old CCJ shown as ‘satisfied’ or a single historic missed payment is often far less damaging than ongoing defaults.

Context is critical — lenders evaluate whether adverse credit was caused by one-off events (e.g. Covid disruption) or longer-term business model issues.

How specialist brokers and lenders differ from mainstream banks

Mainstream banks tend to have stricter blanket credit policies and may decline applications with recent CCJs or ongoing arrears.

Specialist lenders and non-bank providers typically operate with more flexible risk appetites and bespoke underwriting, which can benefit applicants with imperfect files.

Brokers experienced in adverse credit cases can package applications to emphasise mitigating factors and present stronger cases to these specialist providers.

What to disclose when enquiring

Always disclose any CCJs, defaults, IVAs or historic arrears on the Quick Quote form and in follow-up communications.

Provide dates, amounts and whether issues are satisfied or still outstanding, plus supporting documents where possible.

Clear disclosure reduces delays and avoids lenders withdrawing offers after discovering undisclosed problems during underwriting.

Compliance, transparency and fair treatment

Best Business Loans is an independent introducer and does not provide regulated lending itself; we connect you with lenders and brokers who may handle regulated lending.

We aim to be clear, fair and not misleading in our communications and will provide transparent next steps when we share potential matches.

If a lender requires a regulated financial promotion to be authorised, that provider will be responsible for meeting FCA rules; we help you find appropriate, reputable partners.

Key takeaways

– Yes — applications with adverse credit, CCJs or historic arrears are often considered, but outcomes depend on the lender, the specifics of the record, and the strength of your business case.

– Asset-backed and invoice-based finance typically offer wider scope for applicants with imperfect credit.

– Full disclosure, recent management information, and a clear corrective narrative materially improve your chances of a positive response.

Ready to check your eligibility?

Submit a Quick Quote for a no-obligation eligibility check and we’ll match your case to lenders or brokers likely to consider your application.

Our AI-driven process reduces unnecessary searches and connects you with the most relevant providers for your circumstances.

Start your Quick Quote now and get a Decision in Principle or professional guidance quickly and confidentially.

About Best Business Loans

Best Business Loans helps UK SMEs and established trading businesses find suitable finance faster through AI-driven matching and a vetted network of lenders and brokers.

We do not lend directly and we do not charge you to submit a Quick Quote.

For help before you apply, contact our UK support team at hello@bestbusinessloans.ai.