Guides
Detailed guides to each form of business finance.
Business loans explained
Everything a company director needs to understand commercial borrowing — from how a facility is priced to what lenders…
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Secured vs unsecured business finance
What changes when a loan is backed by an asset — and the trade-offs for a growing company.
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Working capital finance explained
Working capital finance bridges the gap between money going out and money coming in. This guide covers how it works,…
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Invoice finance: a complete guide
Invoice finance turns unpaid customer invoices into cash you can use now. This guide explains factoring versus…
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Asset finance for UK businesses
Asset finance lets you acquire equipment, vehicles or machinery without paying the full cost up front. This guide…
Read →Merchant cash advances explained
A merchant cash advance gives card-taking businesses a lump sum repaid as a slice of daily takings. This guide covers…
Read →Revolving credit facilities for business
A revolving credit facility gives your company a pre-agreed limit you can draw, repay and redraw as cash flow demands…
Read →Business bridging finance explained
Bridging finance is fast, short-term funding that closes a timing gap until a known event releases cash. This guide…
Read →VAT loans and tax-bill funding
A VAT loan spreads the cost of a quarterly VAT bill over a few months so a single payment doesn't drain your working…
Read →Glossary
Business-finance terms, defined in one place.
APR
APR (annual percentage rate) is the total yearly cost of borrowing — interest plus certain mandatory fees — expressed…
Read →Debenture
A debenture is a legal document that secures a loan against a company's assets, giving the lender a registered charge…
Read →Amortisation
Amortisation is the process of repaying a loan in regular instalments so that the balance reduces to zero by the end of…
Read →Arrears
Arrears are payments that are overdue — money your business owes that should already have been paid under the agreed…
Read →Asset finance
Asset finance lets a business acquire equipment, vehicles or machinery by spreading the cost over time, usually using…
Read →Bad debt
Bad debt is money owed to your business that you no longer expect to collect — an invoice or loan that has effectively…
Read →Balance sheet
A balance sheet is a snapshot of what your business owns and owes at a point in time, showing assets, liabilities and…
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Balloon payment
A balloon payment is a large lump sum due at the end of a finance agreement, after a run of smaller instalments.
Read →Bridging loan
A bridging loan is short-term finance used to cover a gap until a larger or longer-term source of money arrives.
Read →How-to
Step-by-step explainers for directors and finance teams.
How to apply for a business loan
The documents, the steps and what to expect when your company applies.
Read →How to apply for a business loan
Applying for a business loan is mostly about preparation. Get your figures, documents and reason for borrowing straight…
Read →How to improve your business credit score
Your business credit score is built from your company's payment behaviour, public filings and credit usage — not from…
Read →How to write a strong business loan application
A strong application isn't about persuasion — it's about giving an underwriter a clear, honest, well-evidenced picture…
Read →How to forecast your cash flow
A cash-flow forecast is simply a calendar of money in and money out, projected forward. Built well, it tells you…
Read →How to compare business finance options
Comparing finance is not about chasing the lowest headline rate. This how-to walks you through a like-for-like…
Read →How to read a business loan offer
A loan offer is a contract, not a quote. This how-to shows you exactly which clauses to check, what each one means and…
Read →How to calculate what your business can afford
Affordability is about cash, not profit. This how-to gives you a clear method to work out the repayment your business…
Read →How to prepare management accounts for lenders
Up-to-date management accounts are often the difference between a fast yes and a slow maybe. This how-to shows you…
Read →Funding for UK limited companies
Credicorp lends to your company, not to you personally — short-term working capital with no personal guarantee. See what your business could access.