Important disclosure

Get the Best Personal Loan for Bad Credit

Have you ever applied for a personal loan, only to face rejection in the end? We feel you, as do many other British citizens. The truth is, rejected loan applications are more common than you might think. These have pushed borrowers to try a new kind of loan: bad credit personal loans. Curious to know how much one will cost you monthly? Try our bad credit loan calculator right here for an estimate.

Terms from 1 to 10 years. Representative example: 5 year £10,000 loan with comparison rates from 2.8% to 49.9% APR would cost between £10,728 and £27,321, including fees. The interest can vary between £728 and £17,321.

Bad credit vs good credit

Rejected loan applications are normally a result of what we call “bad credit”. Bad credit refers to a borrower’s history of mishandled loan payments, regardless of the lender. That includes all late and missed payments, and loans the borrower couldn’t pay off. Lenders and credit agencies usually express bad credit as low credit scores. (We explain more about credit scores later on in this guide.)

On the other hand, there’s also what we call “good credit”. This refers to one’s history of always paying off loans on time and in full. Good credit appears in the form of high credit scores to lenders and credit agencies.

Does this mean only borrowers with good credit can get personal loans, then? While it’s true such applicants have an advantage, you mustn’t lose heart. That’s what bad credit personal loans are for.

About bad credit personal loans

If your credit score is poor, it does become hard to apply for personal loans. You’d have to approach lenders who specialise in financing for borrowers with bad credit. Find those in our table here, so you can start to compare bad credit loans.

Before submitting any application, you should do your homework on the loan terms. For a personal loan for bad credit, these might be more restrictive than normal. The lender might only allow a smaller loan amount, or a shorter loan term. They may also charge more interest, reflecting higher risks they’re taking by lending to you. It’s prudent to check first if the resulting monthly payment will fit your overall budget.

Some lenders may require a guarantor to sign with you before granting the loan. A guarantor is a family member or friend who’ll settle your loan in case you can’t. While it’s an easier way to get approved, the financial responsibility will still be yours. Take note: even if the guarantor repays the loan, it’ll still affect your credit score.

Applying for bad credit loans

As with any loan, lenders maintain some minimum requirements that you must meet before applying:

  • 18 years of age or older
  • Permanent UK residence
  • Ownership of a UK-based bank or building society account

Depending on the lender, you can apply for the bad credit personal loan through:

  • Their website or mobile app
  • Phone or email
  • Their physical branches

You’ll need to complete a form with personal details and the loan terms you want. You’ll also need to provide proof of your identity, residential address, and income. Do note that during the loan review, the lender may request additional information or documents.


 

Bad credit personal loan calculator

Loan Amount

£20,000

Term

3 months

FCMB Bank

FCMB Bank personal loans

EST Monthly Repayment
EST Monthly Repayment
N/A
APR
EST Monthly Repayment
12 months
to 60 months
EST Monthly Repayment
£5,000
to £50,000
n/a
Hoares Bank

Hoares Bank personal loans

EST Monthly Repayment
EST Monthly Repayment
N/A
APR
EST Monthly Repayment
12 months
to 60 months
EST Monthly Repayment
£7,500
to £25,000
We offer mortgages, loans, arranged overdrafts, guarantees and indemnities in a wide range of currencies. The rate of interest payable depends on the individual circumstances of each customer and may be subject to change in the future.
Shawbrook Bank

Shawbrook Bank personal loans

EST Monthly Repayment
EST Monthly Repayment
N/A
APR
EST Monthly Repayment
12 months
to 84 months
EST Monthly Repayment
£1,000
to £30,000
As well as offering guaranteed rates, we give you the flexibility you need. We offer loans from £1,000 to £30,000 with loan terms from one to seven years.
thinkmoney

thinkmoney personal loans

EST Monthly Repayment
EST Monthly Repayment
N/A
APR
EST Monthly Repayment
12 months
to 60 months
EST Monthly Repayment
£100
to £25,000
We work with lenders to help you find a loan to suit your needs, whether you’re looking to buy a car, go on the holiday of a lifetime or get a gift for someone special.
Cahoot

Cahoot personal loans (7,500 - 20,000)

EST Monthly Repayment
EST Monthly Repayment
2.80%
APR
EST Monthly Repayment
12 months
to 60 months
EST Monthly Repayment
£7,500
to £20,000
You can apply online for a personal loan provided by Santander UK plc to help turn your plans into reality. Credit subject to status. Terms and conditions apply.
MBNA

MBNA personal loans (7,500 - 25,000)

EST Monthly Repayment
EST Monthly Repayment
2.80%
APR
EST Monthly Repayment
12 months
to 60 months
EST Monthly Repayment
£7,500
to £25,000
You can choose how much money you want to borrow at a fixed rate, then choose over how long you want to pay it back. This will allow you to pay back your loan each month with an amount to suit your budget.
Sainsbury's Bank

Sainsbury's Bank personal loans (7,500 - 25,000)

EST Monthly Repayment
EST Monthly Repayment
2.80%
APR
EST Monthly Repayment
12 months
to 60 months
EST Monthly Repayment
£7,500
to £25,000
Planning a big event or purchase? Maybe you’re planning some home improvements or buying a new family car – it all adds up. You’ve come to the right place – a Sainsbury’s Bank Loan could be the answer.
TSB

TSB personal loans (7,500 - 25,000)

EST Monthly Repayment
EST Monthly Repayment
2.80%
APR
EST Monthly Repayment
12 months
to 84 months
EST Monthly Repayment
£7,500
to £25,000
Our 5 star rated loans help customers to borrow well. ? ? With loans from £1,000 to £25,000 (or £300* to £50,000 for TSB current account customers). Our lowest rate: 3.2% APR representative for loans between £7,500 and £25,000 for 1 - 5 years.
Nationwide

Nationwide personal loans (7,500 - 25,000)

EST Monthly Repayment
EST Monthly Repayment
2.90%
APR
EST Monthly Repayment
12 months
to 60 months
EST Monthly Repayment
£7,500
to £25,000
Paying off your debt using a Nationwide loan could give you the chance to take control of your finances.
Post Office Money

Post Office Money personal loans (15,000 - 25,000)

EST Monthly Repayment
EST Monthly Repayment
2.90%
APR
EST Monthly Repayment
12 months
to 84 months
EST Monthly Repayment
£15,000
to £25,000
Post Office Personal Loans are provided by Bank of Ireland UK. Post Office Limited is a credit broker and not a lender.
The AA

The AA personal loans (15,001 - 25,000)

EST Monthly Repayment
EST Monthly Repayment
2.90%
APR
EST Monthly Repayment
12 months
to 84 months
EST Monthly Repayment
£15,001
to £25,000
Personal loan with breakdown cover Loans from £1,000 to £25,000 with no arrangement or set-up fees. Provided by Bank of Ireland UK. AA Financial Services Limited is a credit broker and not a lender.
Tesco Bank

Tesco Bank personal loans (15,001 - 25,000)

EST Monthly Repayment
EST Monthly Repayment
3.00%
APR
EST Monthly Repayment
12 months
to 120 months
EST Monthly Repayment
£15,001
to £25,000
A loan from Tesco Bank could be a great way to fund a home improvement project, upgrade your car, or help to cover the cost of your wedding.
Virgin Money

Virgin Money personal loans (15,000 - 24,999)

EST Monthly Repayment
EST Monthly Repayment
3.00%
APR
EST Monthly Repayment
12 months
to 84 months
EST Monthly Repayment
£15,000
to £24,999
Special surprise or a serious buy we’ve got a loan you’ll love. A special occasion, a once-in-a-lifetime break, or a little more oomph in your home. Whatever you're leaning towards, you'll love our personal loan.
Yorkshire Bank

Yorkshire Bank personal loans (15,000 - 24,999)

EST Monthly Repayment
EST Monthly Repayment
3.00%
APR
EST Monthly Repayment
12 months
to 84 months
EST Monthly Repayment
£15,000
to £24,999
We've joined forces with Virgin Money and the team has been busy behind the scenes to bring the brands together and create one brilliant bank under the Virgin Money name
Marks & Spencer

Marks & Spencer personal loans (15,001 - 20,000)

EST Monthly Repayment
EST Monthly Repayment
3.10%
APR
EST Monthly Repayment
12 months
to 36 months
EST Monthly Repayment
£15,001
to £20,000
Repay your loan over a period of 12 to 84 months on loans between £1,000 and £20,000, or over a period of 12 to 60 months on loans between £20,001 and £25,000
Hitachi Finance

Hitachi Personal Finance personal loans (7,500 - 25,000)

EST Monthly Repayment
EST Monthly Repayment
3.20%
APR
EST Monthly Repayment
24 months
to 60 months
EST Monthly Repayment
£7,500
to £25,000
Award-winning Personal Loans Make it happen, Make it Hitachi Personal Finance
First Direct

First Direct personal loans (5,000 - 29,999)

EST Monthly Repayment
EST Monthly Repayment
3.30%
APR
EST Monthly Repayment
12 months
to 84 months
EST Monthly Repayment
£5,000
to £29,999
Make bigger purchases more manageable with a Personal Loan at 3.3% APR representative. Apply via the App or Online Banking and you could get the money in minutes.
Halifax

Halifax personal loans (7,500 - 24,999)

EST Monthly Repayment
EST Monthly Repayment
3.50%
APR
EST Monthly Repayment
12 months
to 60 months
EST Monthly Repayment
£7,500
to £24,999
Are you thinking of buying a new car, doing a spot of DIY or tidying up your borrowing but you are not sure how much to borrow? Use our loan calculator to help you.
Santander

Santander personal loans for £15,001-£20,000

EST Monthly Repayment
EST Monthly Repayment
3.50%
APR
EST Monthly Repayment
12 months
to 60 months
EST Monthly Repayment
£15,001
to £20,000
You are eligible if you’re 21 or over and live in the UK permanently, you have a regular yearly income of £6,000+, you are able to make your repayments by Direct Debit, and you haven’t been declared bankrupt, had a CCJ or an IVA within the last 6 years. All credit is subject to status and credit checks.
Bank of Scotland

Bank of Scotland personal loans (7,500 - 24,999)

EST Monthly Repayment
EST Monthly Repayment
3.90%
APR
EST Monthly Repayment
12 months
to 60 months
EST Monthly Repayment
£7,500
to £24,999
Personal Loan rate of 3.9% APR representative on loans from £7,500 to £35,000 over 1 to 5 years
HSBC

HSBC personal loans (15,000 - 25,000)

EST Monthly Repayment
EST Monthly Repayment
3.90%
APR
EST Monthly Repayment
12 months
to 96 months
EST Monthly Repayment
£15,000
to £25,000
Make your plans a reality with a personal loan with fixed monthly payments, an instant credit decision, quick access to funds and no arrangement fee.
Lloyds Bank

Lloyds Bank personal loans

EST Monthly Repayment
EST Monthly Repayment
3.90%
APR
EST Monthly Repayment
12 months
to 60 months
EST Monthly Repayment
£7,500
to £25,000
Log on to Internet Banking to see how much you could borrow and if you’re likely to be approved. This won't affect your credit score. 3.9% APR Representative on a Personal Loan between £7,500 and £25,000 over 1 to 5 years.
Metro Bank

Metro Bank personal loans

EST Monthly Repayment
EST Monthly Repayment
3.90%
APR
EST Monthly Repayment
12 months
to 60 months
EST Monthly Repayment
£1,000
to £35,000
We’ve welcomed award-winning lender, RateSetter, into the Metro Bank family to bring our customers a personal loan that’s easy to apply for and simple to manage.
NatWest

NatWest personal loans (20,000 - 25,000)

EST Monthly Repayment
EST Monthly Repayment
4.90%
APR
EST Monthly Repayment
24 months
to 96 months
EST Monthly Repayment
£20,000
to £25,000
If you're thinking about changing your car, tidying up your finances or making some improvements to your home, a loan from us could be the helping hand you need.
RBS

RBS personal loans (20,000 - 2999)

EST Monthly Repayment
EST Monthly Repayment
4.90%
APR
EST Monthly Repayment
24 months
to 60 months
EST Monthly Repayment
£20,000
to £24,999
If you're thinking about changing your car, sprucing up your home or planning your dream wedding, a Royal Bank of Scotland loan could help get you there.
12

BestLoanRates.co.uk provides factual information in relation to financial products. While BestLoanRates.co.uk attempts to make a wide range of products and providers available, it may not cover all the options available to you. Moreover, we cannot be responsible for changes made to this information by product providers and/or inaccurate information obtained from a product provider. All product information comes from the product provider or publicly available information and, to the best of our knowledge, is correct at the time of publishing. The information published on BestLoanRates.co.uk is general in nature only and does not consider your personal objectives, financial situation or particular needs and is not recommending any particular product to you. If you decide to apply for a product, you will be dealing directly with that provider and not with BestLoanRates.co.uk. BestLoanRates.co.uk recommends that you read the relevant product disclosure statement or product guide before taking up any financial product offer. For more information, please see BestLoanRates.co.uk's Terms of Use.

Minimum and maximum loan periods vary between 1 month and 10 years. APR varies between 2.80% and 71.30% p.a. Total interest repayments vary between £435 and £1,019 over the life of the loan. *APR is based on an unsecured loan of R£15,000 for a term of 3 years. WARNING: This APR is true only for the examples given and may not include all fees and charges. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts might result in a different APR. These rates can change without further notice. All rates quoted are per annum.

The credit score

Your credit score is a three-digit number that is based on your credit report. It is used to indicate how likely you are to repay your debts. The higher your score, the better. Your score is determined by a variety of factors, including your payment history, how much debt you have, and how long you have had credit.

Credit scores in the UK range from 0-999. A score of less than 600 is considered poor, while a score of 700 or more is considered good. To get your credit score, you can either use a credit monitoring service or go to one of the three main credit bureaus in the UK: Experian, Equifax, or Callcredit.

Improving your credit score

Finally, getting approved for your loan may be a huge relief. But at the end of the day, the goal is to improve your credit score. After all, lenders provide better loan terms, including lower rates, to applicants with higher scores. Loan approval also becomes faster and easier. Here are ways you can bring up your own score before your next loan application:

  • Make sure you’re on the electoral register. With this, lenders can easily verify your identity and address and thus avoid fraud.
  • Update all existing loan payments. This means faithfully paying on time all monthly dues on ongoing debt, including credit cards.
  • If you have extra cash, you can make additional repayments to your existing loans. This is a good sign to lenders since it means you’re financially able.
  • Limit your number of active applications with other lenders within the same period. Too many active applications might look like you’re desperate for money.
  • Never borrow more than what you need. Additional debt may put stress on your finances and make loan repayments harder.

Bad credit is not the end of the world; there’s time to turn it around. You can start by managing your loans and developing habits of patience and consistency. Before you know it, good credit will become second nature to you!


Bad credit personal loans FAQs

If my credit is poor, what’s the easiest kind of loan for me?

One option is the guarantor loan where you sign with a guarantor. There’s also the secured loan, where you must offer loan security such as your house.

Can I apply for a personal loan with bad credit?

You’re welcome to try with lenders who focus on borrowers with bad credit. But, that in itself is still no guarantee. A better way to get loan approval is to improve your credit score.

What is the minimum credit score for a personal loan?

On average, you need to get at least 600 or more. But, there may still be lenders who can lend to applicants with scores below that. We suggest doing your research to know which ones do.

.