Fast Business Loans UK: Get Funding in 24 Hours (2025 Guide)

6 Funding Options Delivering in 24-48 Hours

1. Merchant Cash Advance (MCA) - 24-48 Hours

Speed: ⚡⚡⚡ Fastest

MCAs are the quickest business funding available with approval in 24 hours and funds in 24-48 hours. Based on card sales, not credit score.

Who provides:

• Kriya (formerly Funding Options)
• Fleximize
• iwoca
• Liberis
• PayPal Working Capital

Amounts: £3,000 - £500,000

Cost: Factor rate 1.15-1.45 (effective APR 25-80%)

Requirements: £5,000+ monthly card sales, 6 months trading

Timeline:

• Application: 15 minutes online
• Decision: 4-24 hours
• Funds: 24-48 hours after approval

2. Invoice Finance - 24-72 Hours

Speed: ⚡⚡⚡ Very Fast

Borrow against unpaid B2B invoices. Receive 80-90% advance within 24 hours.

Who provides:

• MarketFinance (fastest - same day possible)
• Capitalise
• Skipton Business Finance

Amounts: £1,000 - £10 million (per invoice)

Cost: 1.5-4% discount fee

Requirements: B2B invoices, creditworthy customers

3. Online Business Loans - 48-72 Hours

Speed: ⚡⚡ Fast

Digital-first lenders use algorithms for instant decisions and quick funding.

Who provides:

• iwoca (fastest UK online lender)
• Funding Circle
• Capitalise
• Fleximize

Amounts: £1,000 - £500,000

APR: 6-30% depending on credit

Timeline:

• Application: 10-20 minutes
• Decision: Instant to 24 hours
• Funds: 48-72 hours

4. Business Credit Cards - Instant Credit Line

Speed: ⚡⚡⚡ Immediate (if approved)

Apply for business credit card and use immediately upon approval. Some providers offer instant decisions.

Who provides:

• American Express (often instant approval)
• Capital on Tap (fast decisions)
• Barclaycard Business

Limits: £1,000 - £25,000

APR: 0% (if paid in full monthly) or 18-35%

5. Overdraft Extension - Same Day

Speed: ⚡⚡⚡ Fastest (for existing customers)

If you have an existing business bank account, requesting an overdraft increase can be approved same day.

Who provides:

• Barclays Business (existing customers)
• HSBC Business (existing customers)
• Lloyds Business (existing customers)

Amounts: £1,000 - £25,000 (overdraft increases)

Interest: 8-15% APR typically

6. Bridging Loans - 3-7 Days

Speed: ⚡⚡ Moderate

For property-related funding, bridging loans provide large sums quickly secured against property.

Amounts: £50,000 - £25,000,000

Rates: 0.5-1.5% monthly (6-18% APR)

Timeline: 3-14 days typical

What You Need to Apply (Checklist)

To speed up approval, have these ready:

• ✅ 6 months bank statements (business account)
• ✅ Photo ID (passport or driving licence)
• ✅ Business proof (Companies House registration or UTR)
• ✅ Address proof (utility bill or lease)
• ✅ Financial statements (if limited company)
• ✅ Clear purpose (what funding is for)
• ✅ Repayment plan (how you'll repay)

How to Choose Fast Funding

Cost of Speed: What You Pay for Fast Funding

Fast funding is more expensive than traditional bank loans:

Trade-off: Speed costs money. Expect to pay 2-5x more for 24-hour funding vs traditional 3-week bank loans.

When Fast Funding Makes Sense

Fast funding is expensive. Only use for:

• ✅ Emergency cash flow gaps - Payroll, urgent supplier payments
• ✅ Time-sensitive opportunities - Bulk purchase discounts, urgent orders
• ✅ Avoid worse consequences - Late payment fees, lost contracts
• ✅ High-ROI investments - Clear path to quick repayment

Don't use for: General expansion, non-urgent purchases, or situations where traditional loans are available. For longer-term funding, see our guide on working capital loans.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

The fastest business funding in UK (2025):

• Merchant Cash Advance: 24-48 hours, £3k-£500k, based on card sales
• Invoice Finance: 24-72 hours, advance on unpaid invoices
• Online Lenders: 48-72 hours, £1k-£500k, digital application

Remember: Speed comes at a cost. Fast funding typically charges 2-5x more than traditional bank loans. Use strategically for urgent situations with clear ROI.