Lender review · Term loans, asset finance, invoice finance, property finance
Nucleus Commercial Finance
- Reviewed May 2026
- Editor Oliver Mackman
- Methodology Public
London-based alternative finance specialist running unsecured term loans, asset finance, invoice finance and property finance under one roof. Tickets up to £20m via mainly broker distribution. Strong record on cases mainstream banks decline on financial-covenant grounds rather than credit grounds. Note: Nucleus group has multiple registered entities; verify the active trading entity at publish time before citing a Companies House number.
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: 8 May 2026
At a glance
- Product
- Term loans, asset finance, invoice finance, property finance
- Ticket size
- £25k to £20m
- Typical rate
- Bespoke, from around 8% APR equivalent
- Decision time
- 24 hours to 7 business days
- Soft search at quote
- Yes
- Limited companies only
- No
- FCA regulated
- Yes (check the FCA Register)
Scores against our methodology
- Rate transparency3/5
- Eligibility clarity4/5
- Decision speed4/5
- Decline handling4/5
How Nucleus Commercial Finance works
Nucleus Commercial Finance operates as a term loans, asset finance, invoice finance, property finance provider in the UK SMB market. London-based alternative finance specialist running unsecured term loans, asset finance, invoice finance and property finance under one roof. Tickets up to £20m via mainly broker distribution. Strong record on cases mainstream banks decline on financial-covenant grounds rather than credit grounds. Note: Nucleus group has multiple registered entities; verify the active trading entity at publish time before citing a Companies House number.
The product mechanic is straightforward in shape but the underwriting is sector-specific. Tickets sit in the £25k to £20m band, decisions land within 24 hours to 7 business days, and the published rate range is Bespoke, from around 8% APR equivalent. Soft search at quote means no impact on your credit file at the eligibility stage. Nucleus Commercial Finance is FCA regulated.
Where Nucleus Commercial Finance fits best: mid-ticket smes with mixed needs, bespoke asset or property-backed deals, established ltd companies post-decline elsewhere. Where it does not fit: sub-£25k self-serve, sole traders without trading depth, pure rate-shoppers.
Pricing examples
Worked examples using Nucleus Commercial Finance's published rate range (Bespoke, from around 8% APR equivalent). Simple-interest approximation, mid-band rate. Real offers will differ and should be confirmed on the lender quote.
| Ticket | Term | Estimated total cost | Approx monthly |
|---|---|---|---|
| £25,000 | 24 months | £29,000 | £1,208 |
| £50,000 | 36 months | £62,000 | £1,722 |
| £100,000 | 48 months | £132,000 | £2,750 |
Indicative only. Confirm on a Nucleus Commercial Finance quote.
Eligibility
- Trading time: typically 12 to 24 months minimum for the cleanest pricing. Weakness flagged: Sole traders without trading depth.
- Turnover floor: not always published. As a working figure, expect a £100k+ turnover requirement for term loans of £50k+. Smaller tickets and MCA structures have lower floors.
- Sector exclusions: Sub-£25k self-serve; Pure rate-shoppers.
- Credit profile: Clean credit preferred; older satisfied items often acceptable.
- Company structure: Limited companies and (in some cases) sole traders / partnerships.
- Best fit: Mid-ticket SMEs with mixed needs; Bespoke asset or property-backed deals; Established Ltd companies post-decline elsewhere.
Pros
- + Wide product range under a single underwriter.
- + Direct lender; pricing not loaded with broker mark-up at source.
- + Decisions inside 24 hours on simpler cases.
- + Useful for borrowers needing a bespoke structure across multiple products.
Cons
- − Pricing not published; quoted at offer.
- − Brand awareness narrower than Funding Circle / iwoca for unsecured.
- − Hard credit search at full application.
- − Most distribution still runs through brokers.
Best for
- · Mid-ticket SMEs with mixed needs
- · Bespoke asset or property-backed deals
- · Established Ltd companies post-decline elsewhere
Weak at
- · Sub-£25k self-serve
- · Sole traders without trading depth
- · Pure rate-shoppers
When to use Nucleus Commercial Finance
Use Nucleus Commercial Finance when
Your application matches the best-fit profile: mid-ticket smes with mixed needs, bespoke asset or property-backed deals, established ltd companies post-decline elsewhere. The published ticket range (£25k to £20m) covers your ask, the decision speed (24 hours to 7 business days) fits your cash-gap timeline, and the rate range (Bespoke, from around 8% APR equivalent) is acceptable to you given your credit profile. Soft search at quote means there is no downside to running an eligibility check before committing.
Do not use Nucleus Commercial Finance when
Your profile sits in the weak-at list: sub-£25k self-serve, sole traders without trading depth, pure rate-shoppers. Nucleus Commercial Finance will likely decline, and the decline itself can sit on broker records for 90 days. If you have any of these flags, route directly to a specialist (post-decline lender, MCA against card flow, asset-backed alternative) rather than using Nucleus Commercial Finance as a screen.
FAQs
What is the minimum trading time for Nucleus Commercial Finance?
Nucleus Commercial Finance is weaker on sole traders without trading depth. As a working figure, expect Nucleus Commercial Finance to ask for at least 12 months of trading for most product lines, and 24 months for the cleanest pricing.
Does Nucleus Commercial Finance require a personal guarantee?
Most UK SMB lenders require a personal guarantee from at least one director. Nucleus Commercial Finance is no exception in the standard case. The few exceptions: asset-backed lending where the asset itself stands as security, and a small number of MCA structures where card flow is the underwriting basis. For term loans, asset finance, invoice finance, property finance specifically, expect a PG to be requested.
How fast does Nucleus Commercial Finance fund?
Nucleus Commercial Finance quotes 24 hours to 7 business days for an underwriting decision. Funding to bank account typically follows within one to three working days of acceptance, subject to KYC, signed documents, and (where applicable) registration of any debenture or charge.
What rate should I expect from Nucleus Commercial Finance?
Nucleus Commercial Finance's published range is Bespoke, from around 8% APR equivalent. The headline number is rarely the offered number. Rate transparency on this lender scores 3/5 in our methodology. Expect the cleaner end of the band only if you have 2+ years of trading, clean credit, and turnover comfortably above the lender's stated floor.
What happens if Nucleus Commercial Finance declines me?
If Nucleus Commercial Finance declines, you have three realistic next steps. First, ask for the decline reason in writing, most reputable UK lenders will tell you. Second, route the application to a specialist post-decline lender (Bizcap, JPM Capital, Bolton Finance) where credit issues are the constraint, or to an asset-backed alternative where security is available. Third, use a broker panel to fan the application across the lenders most likely to accept your specific decline reason. Nucleus Commercial Finance scores 4/5 on decline handling in our methodology.
Where to apply
Apply directly via www.nucleus-cf.co.uk, or use our free quote form to be matched across the UK broker panel most likely to approve your specific profile, not just Nucleus Commercial Finance.
Specialty alternatives
See all lender reviews for alternatives.
Reviewed by Oliver Mackman, Director. Last reviewed: 8 May 2026. Lender website: www.nucleus-cf.co.uk.