Checking your eligibility and contacting us won't affect your credit score. The formal Start Up Loan application does include a full personal credit check, which leaves a mark on your credit file.
What doesn't affect your credit score
- Our 60-second eligibility check.
- Sending us your details through the form on our Start Up Loans page.
- Talking your plans through with a bizbritain advisor.
None of these involve a credit search.
What does
The formal application includes a hard personal credit search, like any regulated loan application. This is what it means:
- It leaves a footprint on your credit file, which other lenders can see and which may affect your score for a while.
- It's a personal check, not a business one. If you apply with partners, each of you is checked separately.
- It's valid for 90 days. You have that long to finish your documents. If it runs out, it can be run again, with your permission.
If you're approved
Your Start Up Loan and your repayment history appear on your credit file for at least six years. Paying on time helps your record, and missed payments harm it.
Worried about your credit history?
See I have poor credit history: will I be declined?, or read Can I get a Start Up Loan with bad credit?
Last reviewed: 8 October 2026