You can apply, and some funders do consider businesses with impaired credit. A low score narrows the market rather than closing it. Approval is never guaranteed, and where a lender does say yes, expect closer scrutiny of affordability and terms that reflect the higher assessed risk.
Lenders in this space usually want to understand the cause. A one-off historic problem that has been resolved reads very differently from an ongoing pattern of missed payments, mounting judgments or deteriorating bank conduct.
What tends to matter most is whether the borrowing is genuinely affordable from trading cash flow. Bank statements, management figures and existing commitments carry real weight, and a lender may ask for security or a personal guarantee.
Our panel of 60+ lenders includes funders who look at cases high-street banks decline, and indicative decisions can come back in as little as 24 hours. The decision always rests with the lender and depends on your individual circumstances. Borrowing you cannot service will make matters worse, not better.