The most common reason funding takes longer than expected isn’t the lender’s decision. It’s waiting for paperwork. Having these ready before you apply can save days, sometimes weeks.
For almost every application
- Business bank statements for the last three to six months, as full PDF statements or via a secure open-banking link
- Photo ID and proof of address for each director, partner or owner
- Your Companies House number (for limited companies and LLPs)
- A short description of what the funding is for
For larger or longer-term loans
- Latest full-year accounts, and often the year before
- Management accounts for the current year, if your filed accounts are more than six to nine months old
- A cash-flow forecast showing how repayments fit
- Details of existing finance: who it’s with, the balance, the monthly payment and when it ends
- Personal assets and liabilities for directors, especially if a personal guarantee is involved
For specific products
Asset finance: a quote or invoice for the asset, including make, model, age and supplier.
Invoice finance: an aged debtors list (who owes you what and for how long) and copies of your standard terms of trade.
Merchant cash advance: card terminal statements for recent months.
Commercial property or bridging: property details, the purchase price or valuation, and your plan for repaying the loan (your “exit”). For development, also include planning permission and build costs.
A few tips
- Send complete statements. Screenshots or partial pages usually get sent back.
- Explain anything unusual up front, such as a one-off large payment, a dip in sales, or a missed payment and why it happened.
- Keep your story consistent. The purpose, the amount and the figures should match across everything you send.
- Check your HMRC position. Lenders may ask whether VAT, PAYE and Corporation Tax are up to date, or covered by an agreed payment plan.
When you work with us, we’ll tell you exactly which of these each lender needs, so you’re not sending the same documents twice.