Frequently asked questions

You can get started in minutes by completing the Instant Quote form at https://app.risefunding.co.uk/ –  it takes around two minutes and does not affect your credit score. 

Alternatively, call Rise Funding on 0203 833 4369. A member of the team will be in touch to discuss your requirements and begin identifying the right funding options for your business.

Whether a rate is good depends on your business profile, the product, and current market conditions — and the answer will be different for every business. Our team can give you an honest assessment of where your offer sits relative to the market. Negotiation is sometimes possible, particularly on rate and fees, and Rise Funding can negotiate for you. 

There should be none — transparency is central to how Rise Funding operates. Before you accept any offer, a Rise Funding specialist will walk you through the total cost of borrowing, any lender fees and early repayment terms. If anything in a facility letter or agreement is unclear, ask a Rise Funding specialist, and they will explain it clearly.

Yes, lender fees are common in business finance and are entirely normal. Many lenders charge an arrangement fee — typically between 3.5% and 14% of the loan amount — which is often added to the loan rather than paid upfront. Some lenders also charge documentation fees or drawdown fees. Rise Funding will always present the full picture of costs, including any lender fees, so you can compare offers accurately.

Rise Funding does not charge you upfront fees to apply or receive quotes. Our income comes from lender commission once a deal completes. Be wary of any broker that asks for upfront fees before work is done — this is unusual in the market and can be a warning sign. Rise Funding will always be clear about any costs involved before you commit.

Rise Funding receives commission from lenders when a loan is completed. This will vary depending on the structure of product and type of product, specific lender. 

One application goes out to multiple lenders simultaneously, rather than you having to approach each one separately. This saves you time and increases your chances of approval. Rise Funding uses knowledge of the panel and matching technology to approach the lenders most likely to be suitable for your circumstances, rather than a blanket submission to every lender.

No — applying through Rise Funding does not affect your credit score. Rise Funding typically conducts soft searches at the initial stage, which are not visible to other lenders and do not leave a mark on your credit file. A full credit search will typically only occur if you proceed with a specific lender’s offer.

In many cases, lenders can provide an initial decision within 24 hours, and sometimes in as little as two hours. Once an offer is accepted and documents are signed, funds can arrive in your business account within one to two working days. The exact timeline depends on the lender and how promptly any requested documentation is provided.

The initial application takes around two minutes to complete online. After that, our team will typically be in touch quickly to discuss your requirements and begin identifying the right lenders. The entire process from initial enquiry to offer can happen within 24 to 48 hours for many products, depending on how quickly documents are provided.

Early repayment policies vary by lender. Some lenders allow penalty-free early repayment, while others apply an early repayment charge (ERC) — often equivalent to a portion of outstanding interest. Rise Funding will always flag early repayment terms before you accept an offer, so you can factor this in if flexibility is important to you.

If you have received an offer and want to explore whether it can be improved, speak directly with your Rise Funding account manager. Rise Funding can go back to the lender on your behalf and push on rate, fees, or terms, if this has not been done already. It helps to have a clear reason — for example, a competing offer, a strong trading record, or an upcoming uplift in revenue. Rise Funding will advise on the most effective approach for your situation.

A business loan provides a lump sum that is repaid over a fixed term with regular payments — suitable for growth, investment, or a one-off need. Invoice finance (also called invoice factoring or discounting) releases cash tied up in unpaid invoices, giving you access to a percentage of your receivables before your customers have paid. Invoice finance is better suited to businesses with strong debtor books and ongoing cashflow gaps, rather than a one-off capital need.

This depends on what you need the money for, how quickly you need it, and your business’s financial profile. Cashflow gaps caused by slow-paying customers often suit invoice finance. Equipment purchases suit asset finance. Growth capital or working capital often suit a term loan. Our team will assess your situation and recommend the most appropriate product — there is no obligation to proceed with anything.

A legitimate commercial finance broker should be FCA-regulated (you can check this at register.fca.org.uk) and should not charge upfront fees before any work is done. NACFB membership or assurance is a further indicator of professional standards. Be cautious of brokers who pressure you to decide quickly, are vague about commission, or ask for payment before delivering any service. If you are unsure about a specific broker, feel free to contact Rise Funding for an honest view.

In most cases, yes. Going direct to a single lender limits your options and can result in multiple credit searches, each of which can affect your credit score. Rise Funding accesses the whole of market on your behalf, identifies the most suitable lenders, and manages the process from start to finish. Importantly, the rate you pay through Rise Funding will typically be the same as going direct — and in some cases better, because of the volume of business Rise Funding brings lenders.

Using Rise Funding also gives you access to more lenders than you would normally, as many lenders will not accept direct applications, and using Rise Funding also increases your chances of approval.

Rise Funding aims to present you with competitive offers that are well matched to your business profile. The quality of an offer depends on several factors — your credit profile, turnover, industry, and the current lending market. Your account manager can give you a frank assessment of where the offer sits and whether there is room to push for better terms. Rise Funding is on your side, not the lender’s.

A facility letter is the formal offer document from a lender, setting out the terms on which they are prepared to lend. It is a legally binding document once signed, so it is important to read it carefully. Look out for the loan amount, interest rate, total cost of borrowing, repayment schedule, any fees, security requirements (including personal guarantees or debentures), and events of default. If in doubt, ask your Rise Funding account manager to go through it with you.

Lender terms and conditions will be set out in a facility letter, which you should read carefully before signing. Key terms to review include the repayment schedule, the total amount repayable, early repayment provisions, events of default, and any security or personal guarantee requirements. If anything is unclear, ask your Rise Funding account manager — Rise Funding are here to help you understand exactly what you are agreeing to.

A debenture is a form of charge registered against a company’s assets, giving the lender security over the business in the event of default. It does not mean the lender owns your assets — it simply gives them a priority claim if the company cannot repay. Debentures are common for larger loans and are registered at Companies House. If a lender is requesting a debenture, Rise Funding will explain what this means for you and your business.

If you have signed a personal guarantee, your personal assets could be at risk in the event of default. This is why it is critical to understand exactly what you are signing before accepting any offer. A personal guarantee means that if the business cannot repay, the lender can pursue you personally for the outstanding amount.

If you are struggling to make repayments, the most important step is to contact your lender as early as possible. Most lenders have hardship processes and may be able to restructure your repayments. Ignoring missed payments will result in default notices, damage to your credit file, and — if a personal guarantee was given — potential personal liability. If you are in difficulty, Rise Funding can advise on your options.

Asset finance is specifically designed for purchasing equipment, machinery, or vehicles and is worth considering if you need to preserve working capital. Rather than paying for the asset outright, you spread the cost over its useful life. The asset itself often acts as security, which can make approval easier even for businesses with limited credit history. Rise Funding offers both hire purchase and leasing structures.

Yes, in many cases. Some lenders on our panel specialise in businesses with adverse credit histories, CCJs, or recent defaults. The key factors they will assess include turnover, time trading, affordability, and the reason for the credit issues. Rise Funding will be transparent with you about which lenders are likely to consider your application and what to expect.

Both options exist on our panel. Unsecured loans do not require specific business assets as collateral, though personal guarantees may still be required. Secured lending is typically used for larger amounts or where there is an asset involved — for example, asset finance or property finance. Rise Funding will discuss which structure is most appropriate for your needs.

Repayment terms vary by product and lender. Short-term loans and merchant cash advances might run from 3 to 18 months, while traditional term loans can range from 6 months to 6 years. Asset finance is typically aligned to the useful life of the asset being purchased. Rise Funding will match you to lenders offering terms suited to your business’s cashflow and circumstances.

Rise Funding was founded by Willem van Lynden, who serves as Managing Director. Willem created the company after decades of working in business financing, with a background in lending at a senior leadership level. His mission was to represent SMEs and ensure small businesses could access the right funding on fair terms — removing the stress and complexity that typically comes with finding business finance.

Yes. Rise Funding is assured by the National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (NACFB) — the largest trade association for commercial finance brokers in the UK, established in 1992. NACFB assurance means Rise Funding is fully vetted and committed to the NACFB’s Code of Practice, which governs professional standards across the industry.

Yes. Rise Funding Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Their Financial Services Register number is 980279. You can verify this directly on the FCA register at register.fca.org.uk.

Rise Funding has built a strong reputation for its personal, transparent approach to business finance. The company has been shortlisted for NACFB Cashflow Broker of the Year in both 2024 and 2025 – independent recognition judged by an expert panel on criteria of excellence, innovation, and industry standards. Client reviews consistently highlight the team’s communication, speed, and ability to secure competitive offers.

Yes, absolutely. Rise Funding Limited is a fully regulated commercial finance broker based in London, registered in England and Wales (company number 13897992). The company has helped hundreds of UK SMEs secure funding since its founding and holds a strong Trustpilot rating from verified clients.

This mostly comes down to the lender’s requirements, loan type and the circumstances of your business.

Your credit score is not affected when you apply through us. In some circumstances this remains the case even during the initial enquiry to the lender.

In most cases a full credit report will only be generated if you proceed with a lender’s full application. We can help determine your eligibility before this stage and reduce the number of credit searches.

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This depends on things like credit risk, the type of finance, the length of term of the finance and the lender itself. Our expert team can guide you through this once you’ve applied.

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You can apply directly to many lenders but there are some very good reasons to let us manage this process for you:

• There are 100s of business lenders out there and it can take up a lot of your time researching which ones are able to help you. We have the knowledge and technology to do this for you, quickly and easily.
• Based on your circumstances we can approach the right lenders, which will greatly improve your chances of getting an approval.
• The rate you pay will be the same as going direct, and in some cases even better.
• Some lenders will only deal with brokers like us.

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This depends on two things – the type of business loan and how quickly you can provide any requested documentation.

In many cases a lender will give us an answer in 24 hours, and sometimes it can be in as little as two hours. The funds can then be in your business account within a couple of days, again depending on how quickly you can provide documents and get agreements signed.

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Rise Funding is an independent commercial credit broker. Rise Funding matches you with the most suitable lenders from our panel, manage your application, and negotiate on your behalf. This means you get access to a wide market of options without having to approach each lender individually.

Rise Funding works with a broad range of UK businesses — from sole traders to established SMEs looking to scale. Rise Funding covers limited companies, partnerships, and sole traders across virtually all sectors. Whether you need a straightforward business loan, cashflow support, invoice finance, asset finance, or property finance, Rise Funding’s panel of lenders includes options to suit different business profiles.

Rise Funding requires a minimum trading history of 6 to 12 months — but this varies widely across our panel. Newer businesses are not automatically excluded; some lenders specialise in early-stage funding, and the right product will depend on your specific circumstances.

Because APR can be harder to compare across different finance types (for example, invoice finance is structured very differently to a term loan), Rise Funding will always help you understand the actual total amount repayable — not just the headline rate. This allows you to assess the true cost of each option.

Rates start from 6.9% and vary based on your credit risk, business profile, the type of finance, and the term length. Different lenders price differently, and some use a factor rate (common with merchant cash advances) rather than an APR. Rise Funding will always present your options clearly, including the total cost of borrowing, so you can make a meaningful comparison before you commit.

A common rule of thumb for unsecured business loans is that lenders will consider lending between 10% and 50% of your annual turnover, though this varies by lender and product. For example, a business with £300,000 annual turnover might be offered anywhere from £30,000 to £150,000. Invoice finance is typically structured as a percentage of your outstanding debtor book rather than turnover. Speak to our team for a more precise indication based on your specific numbers.

Rise Funding can help businesses access funding from smaller amounts up to £750,000. The amount available to you will depend on your annual turnover, trading history, the type of finance, and the lender’s criteria. As a general guide, many lenders will consider lending up to a multiple of your monthly revenue — for example, a business turning over £200,000 per year might be offered somewhere in the region of £20,000 to £100,000 depending on the product and lender.

The initial application requires only basic information about your business — turnover, time trading, funding amount, and intended use. If a lender proceeds to full application, they will typically request recent bank statements (usually 3–6 months), management accounts or filed accounts, and sometimes proof of identity. Rise Funding will guide you through exactly what is needed at each stage, so nothing comes as a surprise.

Personal guarantees (PGs) are a common requirement for many unsecured business loans, but it depends on the lender, the loan type, and your business circumstances. A PG means a director or owner agrees to be personally liable if the business cannot repay. Rise Funding will always make sure you fully understand any PG wording before you sign, and can explain what it means in practice.

These are assessed on a case-by-case basis and will not automatically disqualify you. Some lenders will take a view on businesses with bounce-back loan arrears or an HMRC Time to Pay arrangement, particularly if the business is otherwise performing well. It’s important to disclose these upfront so Rise Funding can identify lenders likely to be comfortable with your situation.

It depends on the circumstances, but it is often still possible. Some lenders on our panel specialise in working with businesses that have impaired credit, including County Court Judgements (CCJs), recent defaults, or a poor credit history. Key factors lenders consider alongside credit include turnover, time in business, the type of finance, and overall affordability.

There is no single minimum credit score threshold for us at Rise Funding — lenders on our panel take different approaches to credit risk. Some lenders are more flexible than others, particularly for businesses with a strong trading history or sufficient turnover. Rise Funding will assess your profile before approaching lenders to maximise your chances of approval.

Yes, sole traders can apply. Rise Funding works with both limited companies and sole traders/partnerships. Lender appetite and the products available may differ slightly from those offered to limited companies, but there are lenders on our panel that actively work with sole traders. Your account manager will identify the most appropriate options for your structure.

Our application process takes just two minutes, you can apply here