{"schema_version":"2026-05-26","source":"https://bestbusinessloans.ai/data/uk-business-loan-lender-index/","license":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/","lender":{"slug":"funding-circle","name":"Funding Circle","legal_name":"Funding Circle Ltd","company_number":"07123069","founded_year":2010,"homepage":"https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk/","profile_url":"https://bestbusinessloans.ai/reviews/funding-circle/","product_type":"Term loan","category":"term-loan","ticket_range":"£10k to £500k","typical_rate":"6.9% to 26.9% APR","decision_time":"1 to 3 business days","soft_search_only":true,"ltd_only":false,"fca_regulated":true,"rating":{"overall":4.3,"transparency":4,"eligibility":5,"speed":4,"decline_handling":4},"summary":"Funding Circle is the largest UK SME term-loan platform, founded 2010, FCA regulated, with tickets from £10k to £500k and decisions in one to three business days. The published rate range (6.9% to 26.9% APR) is wide, so the headline number is rarely the offered number. Best fit: established Ltd companies with 2+ years of trading, clean credit and turnover above £100k. Companies House 07123069.","pros":["Soft-search application; no credit-file footprint at quote stage.","Eligibility criteria published up front, not hidden behind a quote.","Decisions in 1-3 days; fast even by UK SME standards.","Established brand, FCA regulated, public market-listed."],"cons":["Headline rate (6.9%) only available to top-tier applicants; typical offer is higher.","Personal guarantee almost always required for limited-company borrowers.","Less competitive on the £100k+ ticket band than specialist lenders."],"best_for":["Established Ltd companies","Working capital £25k-£250k","Borrowers wanting decision speed"],"weak_at":["Sub-2-year trading","CCJ history","Sole traders"],"last_reviewed":"2026-04-26","companies_house":{"company_number":"07123069","source":"https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/07123069"}}}