Loan guides,
articles and tools

The library covers six product areas: secured loans (second charge mortgages), bridging loans, home improvement loans, debt consolidation loans, bad credit loans, and HELOC loans (home equity lines of credit). There are also 78 standalone calculators and tools covering personal finance, energy efficiency, and product-specific topics.

Each category has its own hub page with articles, guides, and interactive tools organised by topic. The guides cover everything from introductory explainers through to detailed technical content for more experienced borrowers.

A secured loan is tied to an asset, typically your home. Because the lender has security over that asset, they can usually offer larger loan amounts and longer terms than on an unsecured basis. The risk to you is higher: if you do not keep up repayments, the lender has the right to seek possession of the property used as security.

An unsecured loan is not tied to any asset. If you fall behind on repayments, the lender cannot automatically claim your property, though they can pursue the debt through other means. Rates are typically higher and borrowing limits lower than secured alternatives for the same borrower profile.

The right product depends on your purpose, whether you own property, how much you need to borrow, and how long you need to repay it. As a starting point: if you need to cover a short-term timing gap in a property transaction, bridging finance is usually the relevant category. If you are a homeowner looking to borrow a larger amount over several years, a secured loan is often worth comparing. If you want to combine multiple debts into one payment, the debt consolidation section covers your options. If your credit history is poor, the bad credit loans section explains what is accessible. If you want flexible, revolving access to equity rather than a lump sum, the HELOC section covers that option.

The borrowing type finder tool can help narrow down the right starting point based on a few questions about your situation. None of the guides on this site constitute financial advice.

A lender is the company that provides the actual funds and sets the terms of the loan. A broker acts as an intermediary, reviewing your circumstances and identifying which lenders are likely to consider your application, then introducing you to the most appropriate option.

Squared Money operates as an introducer: we connect borrowers with specialist brokers. We do not provide financial advice or arrange loans ourselves. In specialist markets such as secured lending and bridging finance, brokers often have access to products and lender relationships that are not available on a direct basis.

No. Reading guides and using the calculators and tools on this site does not affect your credit score in any way. No credit information is collected or submitted during the use of any tool on this site.

Checking your eligibility through Squared Money uses a soft search, which is also not visible to other lenders and does not affect your score. Only a full formal application to a lender involves a hard search, which does leave a temporary footprint on your credit file.

If you are struggling with debt, borrowing more is often not the right solution. Free and impartial debt advice is available from StepChange (stepchange.org), National Debtline (nationaldebtline.org), and MoneyHelper (moneyhelper.org.uk). These services are staffed by trained advisers and can help you understand all your options before you decide whether to apply for any borrowing.

Citizens Advice also provides free general financial guidance and can refer you to specialist debt support where appropriate.