Not automatically. A poor credit history doesn't on its own stop you getting a Start Up Loan. The formal application includes a full personal credit check, and the result is weighed together with whether you can afford the repayments and whether the business plan stands up.
What does rule you out
You can't get a Start Up Loan while any of these applies to you:
- you're filing for bankruptcy, or you're currently bankrupt
- you have a Debt Relief Order (DRO)
- you're in an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) or a Trust Deed
- you're on a Debt Management Plan (DMP) or a Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS)
These are the fixed exclusions. Other things on your file, such as missed payments, defaults or a County Court Judgment, are looked at case by case. The question is whether the loan is affordable for you now.
Before you apply
- Check your own credit report with one of the credit reference agencies, and get any mistakes corrected first.
- Talk to us first if you'd like to. Most people complete the online application, including the credit check, before they speak to us. If there's something on your file you're worried about, call us on 0800 870 8739 first and we'll talk it through.
- Get the survival budget right. Affordability is judged from your personal survival budget, so it needs to show your real monthly costs.
No credit search to start
Our 60-second eligibility check and the enquiry form don't involve a credit search. The hard credit check only happens later, as part of the formal application. See Will applying affect my credit score?.
Last reviewed: 8 October 2026