How to get a UK business loan with a CCJ
A CCJ on your business or personal credit file is one of the most common decline reasons for mainstream UK SMB lenders. It is not a final answer though. This guide covers how UK lenders treat CCJs, which lenders engage with CCJ history, and the steps to take before applying.
Director, BestBusinessLoans
Oliver leads BestBusinessLoans's editorial reviews and methodology. With a background in UK commercial finance, he oversees lender research, rate verification and review independence.
Last reviewed: 26 April 2026
How UK lenders treat CCJs
Mainstream UK SMB lenders (Funding Circle, high-street banks) treat any unsatisfied CCJ over £500 as an automatic decline. Satisfied CCJs (paid off and marked satisfied at the court) are softer but still material for many lenders. CCJs sit on credit files for six years from the judgment date regardless of whether they are satisfied.
Lenders that engage with CCJ history
Specialist UK MCA lenders are the most accommodating: Capify, 365 Business Finance and similar lenders underwrite against card-machine flow and treat CCJs as a contributing factor rather than an automatic decline. Specialist post-decline term lenders (JPM Capital, Bolton Finance, Bizcap) accept CCJs case-by-case at higher rate bands.
What the lender will want to see
A clear timeline: when was the CCJ registered, why, has it been satisfied, when. A 12-month trading record post-CCJ is materially stronger than a CCJ from last quarter. A credible case why the CCJ does not predict future repayment behaviour (e.g. resolved supplier dispute, since-fixed financial control issue).
Steps to take before applying
Pull your credit file (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion). Verify the CCJ status. If satisfied, ensure that is correctly recorded. If unsatisfied and you can pay, paying it before the application is materially helpful. Do not run multiple hard searches in close succession; that compounds the problem.
Realistic rate expectations
CCJ-history applicants pay above-market rates. MCA factor rates land at the top of the typical band (1.30 to 1.45). Specialist term loans run 5 to 15 percentage points above mainstream APRs. Asset-backed deals offer the best rate parity with clean-credit applicants because the asset is the security.
FAQ
How long should I wait after satisfying a CCJ before applying?
Sooner is fine if the lender accepts CCJ history. Some specialist lenders will engage on the day of satisfaction; others want 3-6 months of clean repayment behaviour after the CCJ before underwriting.
Will a CCJ on my personal credit file affect a Ltd company application?
Yes. Mainstream UK SMB lenders run searches on the directors as well as the company. The director's personal CCJ history materially affects the application even if the company itself has clean credit.
Reviewed by Oliver Mackman, Director. Last reviewed: 2026-04-26.