Which documents are required for a cashflow loan introduction through UK Business Loans?

Summary (quick answer): Yes — to introduce your business for a cashflow loan through UK Business Loans you’ll typically be asked for company accounts (last 1–3 years), recent management accounts, business bank statements (usually 3–6 months), VAT and tax filings, ID for company directors, and evidence of invoices, contracts or purchase orders supporting the funding need. Gather these documents as PDFs or clear images and you’ll receive faster, more accurate quotes from lenders and brokers. Start your free eligibility check: Get Quote Now (it’s an information-only enquiry, not an application).

Quick summary — documents you’ll usually need

• Company accounts (filed) — last 1–3 years
• Recent management accounts (last 6–12 months)
• Business bank statements (last 3–6 months; sometimes 12)
• VAT returns and Corporation Tax confirmation
• Debtor ledger / aged invoices and sample invoices
• Cashflow forecast and funding purpose evidence (contracts / POs)
• Director ID and proof of address, plus personal bank statements when requested

Ready to proceed? Complete a short, no‑obligation form: Free Eligibility Check — Get Quote Now. We are an introducer — not a lender; by submitting you consent to us sharing your details with selected lenders/brokers for a matching check. Offers may include credit checks.

Why lenders and brokers ask for these documents

Lenders and brokers need to assess risk, repayment capacity and the true nature of the cashflow gap. Documents show historic performance (filed accounts), current trading health (management accounts and bank statements), the cause of the shortfall (invoices, contracts and POs) and the identity of those responsible (director ID). Providing clear, recent documents short-circuits questions, speeds decisions and helps brokers match you to lenders who specialise in your sector and funding size (we typically arrange loans from £10,000 upwards).

Required documents — by company type

Limited companies — must-have documents

• Latest 1–3 years of filed statutory accounts (full accounts or abridged, depending on lender)
• Management accounts: monthly or quarterly reports for the last 6–12 months (P&L and balance sheet)
• Business bank statements: typically the last 3–6 months; some lenders ask for 12 months to check income consistency
• VAT returns: recent submissions (if VAT-registered)
• Corporation Tax evidence: CT600 or HMRC filing acknowledgement
• Debtor ledger / aged invoices showing amounts outstanding and invoice dates
• Cashflow forecast covering the requested facility term (3–12 months preferred)
• Director information: passport or driving licence (photo ID), proof of address (utility bill <3 months); some lenders also request director personal bank statements for the last 3 months
• Company documents: Companies House printout (current director and shareholder list), articles of association if required
• Contracts, purchase orders, signed customer agreements or sales pipeline evidence if the loan is to cover specific invoices or contracts
• Details of existing borrowing and security: existing loan statements, charge registrations or debentures

Partnerships and LLPs — common requirements

• Partnership accounts or management accounts (last 6–12 months)
• Business bank statements (last 6–12 months)
• Partnership agreement (if available)
• Director/partner ID and proof of address
• Debtor ledger, invoices and VAT/Tax evidence

Start-ups and young companies

Start-ups with limited trading history may be asked for:

• Business plan and detailed cashflow forecast
• Founder CVs and proof of previous trading experience
• Recent bank statements and any early trading management accounts
• Signed contracts, purchase orders or letters of intent

Specialist lenders and brokers can consider shorter trading histories when forecasts and contracts demonstrate clear revenue visibility.

Documents specific to cashflow products

Overdrafts & short-term cashflow loans

• Recent management accounts and bank statements (3–6 months)
• Bank reference or statements showing overdraft usage and repayment patterns
• Director ID and sometimes personal financial details for affordability checks

Invoice finance (factoring / discounting)

• Debtor ledger / aged invoices and sample invoices
• Customer contracts and purchase orders
• Evidence of credit control procedures and any disputed invoices
• Debtor concentration data (percentage of turnover tied to top customers)

Merchant cash advance (MCA)

• Card terminal summaries or payment processor statements (e.g., Stripe, Worldpay)
• Business bank statements and recent turnover breakdown
• Director ID

Asset-backed / secured cashflow loans

• Proof of ownership for the asset used as security (invoices, registration documents)
• Valuations or supplier quotes
• Insurance documents

Contract or purchase order finance

• Signed contract or purchase order
• Supplier invoices and WIP (work-in-progress) evidence
• Cashflow forecast tied to the contract delivery schedule

Identity, anti-money‑laundering (AML) & KYC documents

Lenders must follow AML rules, so expect to provide:

• Photo ID for directors: passport or driving licence
• Proof of residential address: utility bill or bank statement dated within the last 3 months
• Companies House printout for the company
• Details of beneficial owners (anyone owning 25%+)
• Signed consent for data sharing and credit/identity checks where required

Legal, security & third‑party documents

For larger or secured facilities, lenders will ask for:

• Existing loan agreements and mortgage/charge documentation
• Property or fixed charge documents (and Companies House charge registrations)
• Lease agreements and supplier contracts
• Director or shareholder guarantees (where required)
• Solicitor contact details — lenders may instruct legal searches prior to offer

Practical checklist — documents to upload when you make an enquiry

Have these ready as PDFs, clear JPGs or PNGs. File names that help brokers:

• Accounts_2024_CompanyName.pdf
• BankStatements_Mar-Jun2025_CompanyName.pdf
• ManagementAccounts_JanToJun2025.pdf
• DebtorLedger_Aged_2025.pdf
• Contracts_PO_ClientName.pdf
• DirectorID_FirstLast.pdf

Start your enquiry and upload securely: Start Your Free Eligibility Check — Get Quote Now.

How to prepare your documents to get a faster quote

• Combine related documents into a single folder and compress into a ZIP if you can; otherwise upload clearly named PDFs.
• Ensure bank statements show the company name and sort code/ account number; crop out unrelated personal accounts.
• Provide a one‑page summary: turnover, average monthly bank in, monthly costs, funding required, term and purpose.
• Use common file formats: .pdf, .jpg, .png, .csv for ledgers. Avoid password-protected files unless asked.
• Check scans for legibility — poor-quality images cause delays.

Need to start? Get Quote Now — Free Eligibility Check. We are an introducer — not a lender. By clicking you consent to sharing details with selected lenders/brokers for an eligibility check.

Typical timelines & what to expect after you submit your enquiry

After you submit documents and the short enquiry form, a broker or lender on our panel will usually contact you within hours to one business day. Initial checks are often soft searches or internal affordability screens; full credit checks typically happen only later and with your permission. Many cashflow products can produce indicative offers in 24–72 hours from receipt of core documents; fully completed offers (including security/legal steps) can take longer depending on complexity.

Common reasons documents slow or stop an introduction

• Incomplete or unsigned documents (missing pages of accounts)
• Bank statements with too many unexplained large transactions
• Name mismatches between accounts, Companies House and ID
• Poor-quality scans (blurred or cut-off pages)
• No evidence to support the use of funds or proposed security

How UK Business Loans matches you and protects your data

UK Business Loans is an introducer — we don’t provide loans or regulated advice. When you complete our short enquiry and upload documents, we use the information to match your request to our panel of specialist lenders and brokers who are best placed for your sector, funding size and product type. We only share details with partners relevant to your enquiry and only after you consent.

We use secure, encrypted file uploads and handle data in line with GDPR. You can withdraw consent at any time — contact our support team. Using our service is free and making an enquiry does not affect your credit score. Lenders we introduce may perform credit or ID checks if you proceed.

Frequently asked questions

Will submitting an enquiry affect my credit score?

No — a standard enquiry through UK Business Loans does not affect your credit score. Lenders may carry out checks later if you choose to proceed.

How quickly will a lender contact me?

Most lenders or brokers contact you within hours to one business day once they have your documents. Specialist cases may take longer for review.

What if I don’t have full-year accounts?

Many lenders accept management accounts, bank statements and a robust cashflow forecast for newer businesses. Provide as much trading evidence as possible.

Do you charge for the introduction?

No — our introduction service is free for business owners. Lenders or brokers may charge arrangement fees if you progress with their product.

How much funding can you arrange?

We typically arrange cashflow facilities from £10,000 and upwards through our partners.

Is my information secure?

Yes — we use encrypted uploads and share information only with selected partners once you consent.

Ready to get matched to lenders and brokers who specialise in cashflow solutions?
Get Quote Now — Free Eligibility Check (it only takes a couple of minutes). We are an introducer — not a lender. By starting your enquiry you consent to us sharing your details with selected lenders/brokers for an eligibility check. Offers from lenders may include credit checks.

Further reading: learn more about different cashflow options on our cashflow loans page: cashflow loans.

1) What documents do I need to apply for a cashflow loan?
You’ll typically need filed company accounts (1–3 years), recent management accounts, 3–6 months of business bank statements, VAT/Corporation Tax evidence, debtor ledgers/invoices or contracts, director ID and proof of address.

2) Will submitting an enquiry through UK Business Loans affect my credit score?
No — submitting an information-only enquiry with UK Business Loans does not affect your credit score, although lenders may carry out credit or ID checks later with your permission.

3) How quickly will lenders or brokers contact me after I upload documents?
Most brokers or lenders contact you within hours to one business day, and indicative offers for cashflow products often arrive within 24–72 hours once core documents are received.

4) How much funding can I get through UK Business Loans?
Our partners typically arrange cashflow and business finance from around £10,000 up to multimillion-pound facilities depending on your needs and security.

5) Is UK Business Loans a lender and do you charge for the introduction?
No — we are an introducer, not a lender, and our service is free for businesses looking to be matched with trusted UK lenders and brokers.

6) Can start-ups or businesses without full-year accounts get cashflow finance?
Yes — specialist lenders often accept management accounts, recent bank statements, detailed cashflow forecasts and signed contracts or POs to underwrite younger businesses.

7) What types of cashflow finance can you help me find?
We can match you to providers for overdrafts and short-term loans, invoice finance (factoring/discounting), merchant cash advances, asset-backed facilities and contract/purchase-order finance.

8) How is my personal and company data protected when I upload documents?
Your files are uploaded via encrypted transfers, handled in line with GDPR, and shared only with selected finance partners after you give consent.

9) What common issues delay or stop a business loan introduction?
Delays usually stem from incomplete or unsigned documents, poor-quality scans, name mismatches between Companies House/ID/bank accounts, unexplained large transactions, or insufficient evidence of funding purpose.

10) How should I prepare documents to get the fastest, most accurate quote?
Combine related files, use clearly named PDFs or images, include a one‑page summary of turnover/costs/funding need, ensure bank statements show company details, and avoid password‑protected or illegible scans.