Funding options for small businesses and the self-employed

There is no single "business loan". The right product depends on what the money is for. A one-off purchase, a cash-flow gap, a piece of equipment, and a long-term expansion each call for a different structure. Borrowing the wrong way — say, using a short-term facility for a long-term asset — can quietly cost you.

Start by being precise about the purpose, the amount, and how long you need the money for. That clarity points you toward the right type of finance and helps a lender say yes.

A term loan gives you a lump sum repaid over a set period — good for a defined purchase or project. A line of credit or overdraft lets you draw funds as needed up to a limit, which suits managing uneven cash flow. Equipment or asset finance is secured against the item you are buying, which can mean a sharper rate. Invoice or debtor finance unlocks cash tied up in unpaid invoices.

Each has trade-offs in cost, flexibility, and security. The cheapest-looking option is not always the right one once you account for how your business actually operates.

Timing matters as much as type. Seasonal businesses, for instance, often benefit from a facility they can draw on in the quiet months and repay in the busy ones, rather than a rigid fixed repayment that ignores the rhythm of their cash flow. The best structure is the one that bends to how money actually moves through your business.

If you run your own business, the challenge is usually proving income rather than the rate itself. Lenders typically want recent tax returns, financial statements, and business activity statements. Where full documentation is not available, some lenders offer low-doc options that rely on alternative evidence — though these can come with different terms.

Keeping your books current and your statements clean makes the whole process smoother and can widen the lenders willing to work with you. A registered accountant or bookkeeper is worth their fee here — well-prepared financials tell a clearer story and can be the difference between an approval and a knock-back.

Whether a loan is secured (against property, equipment, or other assets) or unsecured affects both the rate and how much you can borrow. Lenders assess the health of your business — its cash flow, trading history, and existing debts — alongside your personal credit position.

Be mindful, too, of what you are putting on the line. Offering personal assets or a director guarantee can unlock a better rate, but it ties your own position to the business. That can be the right call, yet it deserves a clear-eyed decision rather than a signature on autopilot.

Rates and terms vary widely between lenders and products, so any figure you see quoted is a starting point to confirm, not a fixed outcome. Your situation drives what you will actually be offered.

We help small business owners and self-employed clients find the right finance structure across a panel of lenders — including options for those whose income is harder to document the conventional way. We translate the jargon and match the product to what your business actually needs, rather than steering you toward a single product from a single bank.

Just as importantly, we look at the whole picture. The right answer for one business might be a line of credit; for another, equipment finance plus a short term loan; for a third, simply tidying up the financials before applying at all. Getting that diagnosis right is where a broker who knows the market earns their place at the table.

Book a free, no-obligation chat and we will work out the most suitable way to fund your next move.