Lender review · Private credit / direct lending
Shard Credit Partners
- Reviewed May 2026
- Editor Oliver Mackman
- Companies House 09594110
- Methodology Public
London-based private credit manager running direct lending into UK and European lower-mid-market companies. Unitranche, second-lien and growth-debt structures into private equity-backed and founder-owned businesses. Not an SME lender in the conventional sense: minimum ticket sits at multiple millions and underwriting is sponsor-led.
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
- Private credit / direct lending
- Ticket size
- £5m to £30m
- Typical rate
- Quoted at offer
- Decision time
- 4 to 10 weeks
- Soft search at quote
- No
- Limited companies only
- Yes
- FCA regulated
- Yes (check the FCA Register)
- Companies House
- 09594110
- Founded
- 2015
Scores against our methodology
- Rate transparency3/5
- Eligibility clarity3/5
- Decision speed2/5
- Decline handling4/5
How Shard Credit Partners works
Shard Credit Partners operates as a private credit / direct lending provider in the UK SMB market. London-based private credit manager running direct lending into UK and European lower-mid-market companies. Unitranche, second-lien and growth-debt structures into private equity-backed and founder-owned businesses. Not an SME lender in the conventional sense: minimum ticket sits at multiple millions and underwriting is sponsor-led.
The product mechanic is straightforward in shape but the underwriting is sector-specific. Tickets sit in the £5m to £30m band, decisions land within 4 to 10 weeks, and the published rate range is Quoted at offer. A hard search may apply at quote stage; ask before you submit if credit-file footprint matters to you. Shard Credit Partners is FCA regulated.
Where Shard Credit Partners fits best: sponsor-backed buyouts £5m+, founder-led growth debt, acquisition finance. Where it does not fit: sub-£5m tickets, working-capital and short-term needs, owner-managed smes without sponsor or covenant package.
Pricing examples
Worked examples using Shard Credit Partners's published rate range (Quoted at offer). This lender prices by factor rate or bespoke quote, so we show the structure, not a worked APR.
| Ticket | Term | Estimated total cost | Approx monthly |
|---|---|---|---|
| £25,000 | 24 months | See lender quote | See lender quote |
| £50,000 | 36 months | See lender quote | See lender quote |
| £100,000 | 48 months | See lender quote | See lender quote |
Indicative only. Confirm on a Shard Credit Partners quote.
Eligibility
- Trading time: typically 12 to 24 months minimum for the cleanest pricing.
- 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-£5m tickets; Working-capital and short-term needs; Owner-managed SMEs without sponsor or covenant package.
- Credit profile: Clean credit preferred; older satisfied items often acceptable.
- Company structure: Limited companies only.
- Best fit: Sponsor-backed buyouts £5m+; Founder-led growth debt; Acquisition finance.
Pros
- + Genuine private-credit balance sheet for sponsor and founder-led deals.
- + Unitranche capability removes the need to syndicate senior and mezzanine.
- + Long-tenor capital aligned with growth and acquisition use cases.
- + FCA-authorised investment manager.
Cons
- − Minimum ticket excludes the SME mid-market.
- − Long underwriting cycle; not a fast-cash option.
- − Pricing bespoke and sponsor-driven.
Best for
- · Sponsor-backed buyouts £5m+
- · Founder-led growth debt
- · Acquisition finance
Weak at
- · Sub-£5m tickets
- · Working-capital and short-term needs
- · Owner-managed SMEs without sponsor or covenant package
When to use Shard Credit Partners
Use Shard Credit Partners when
Your application matches the best-fit profile: sponsor-backed buyouts £5m+, founder-led growth debt, acquisition finance. The published ticket range (£5m to £30m) covers your ask, the decision speed (4 to 10 weeks) fits your cash-gap timeline, and the rate range (Quoted at offer) is acceptable to you given your credit profile.
Do not use Shard Credit Partners when
Your profile sits in the weak-at list: sub-£5m tickets, working-capital and short-term needs, owner-managed smes without sponsor or covenant package. Shard Credit Partners 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 Shard Credit Partners as a screen.
FAQs
What is the minimum trading time for Shard Credit Partners?
Shard Credit Partners typically asks for 12 to 24 months of trading. Newer businesses can sometimes qualify against alternative underwriting (card flow for MCA, asset security for asset finance), but the cleanest pricing tends to require two full sets of accounts.
Does Shard Credit Partners require a personal guarantee?
Most UK SMB lenders require a personal guarantee from at least one director. Shard Credit Partners 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 private credit / direct lending specifically, expect a PG to be requested.
How fast does Shard Credit Partners fund?
Shard Credit Partners quotes 4 to 10 weeks 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 Shard Credit Partners?
Shard Credit Partners's published range is Quoted at offer. 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 Shard Credit Partners declines me?
If Shard Credit Partners 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. Shard Credit Partners scores 4/5 on decline handling in our methodology.
Where to apply
Apply directly via www.shardcreditpartners.com, or use our free quote form to be matched across the UK broker panel most likely to approve your specific profile, not just Shard Credit Partners.
Specialty alternatives
See all lender reviews for alternatives.
Reviewed by Oliver Mackman, Director. Last reviewed: 8 May 2026. Lender website: www.shardcreditpartners.com.