2 min read
Debt service cover ratio = cash available for debt ÷ annual repayments — a core lender affordability test.
Step 1: gather the documents
Have your latest filed accounts, recent bank statements (or an open-banking connection ready), and up-to-date management figures. These let a lender verify cash flow quickly. Missing or stale documents are the most common cause of delay.
Step 2: check your credit report
Pull your business credit report and fix any errors before the lender sees them. A stale CCJ or wrong detail can cost an approval you deserved. See how to check your report.
Step 3: run your own affordability check
Work out your cover ratio for the amount and term you want, and confirm it clears 1.25 with headroom. Applying for a figure you cannot comfortably afford wastes an application and marks your file. See checking affordability.
Step 4: prepare the story
Be ready to say clearly why you need the money, how much, and how it will be repaid. A crisp, evidenced case — the purpose, the return, the repayment source — reassures an underwriter and speeds the decision. Vagueness invites questions and delay.
Confirm the numbers
Use the calculator to lock down the amount and term that fit before you submit.
Credicorp lends to your company, not to you personally, and takes no personal guarantee. See indicative terms on business loans, or apply online in minutes.
Frequently asked questions
What documents do I need for a business loan?
Your latest filed accounts, recent bank statements or an open-banking connection, and up-to-date management figures. These let a lender verify your cash flow quickly and avoid delays.
Should I check my credit before applying?
Yes. Pull your business credit report and fix any errors first — a stale CCJ or wrong detail can cost an approval. It also tells you what the lender will see before you commit to an application.
How do I make my application stronger?
Run your own affordability check to confirm the amount fits, fix credit-report errors, gather clean documents, and prepare a clear case for why you need the money, how much, and how it will be repaid.
Related reading

How to check if your business can afford a loan
Before you apply for a loan, spend twenty minutes checking whether your business can comfortably afford it…
Read →
How to check your business credit report
Checking your own credit report is the cheapest way to improve your chances of approval. It shows exactly…
Read →
Your business credit report: how to read and use it
Before a lender reads your credit report, you should. It holds the record your company presents to anyone…
Read →
How lenders assess business loan affordability, step by step
Affordability is not one check but a sequence. An underwriter starts with the cash your business actually…
Read →
Affordability vs eligibility: two different lending tests
Eligibility and affordability are two separate gates, and you have to clear both. Eligibility is about…
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.