Personal loansGuides, comparisons
and tools

What are personal loans? A beginner's guide

A plain-English introduction to personal loans, how they work, who provides them, and what makes them different from other types of borrowing.

Understanding APR on personal loans

What APR means, how the 51% representative rate rule works, why rates vary by borrowing band, and how to read a loan illustration properly.

How personal loans affect your credit score

The credit file impact before, during, and after a personal loan: soft searches, hard searches, repayment history, and what happens when you clear the balance.

Is a personal loan right for you? Pros and cons

A balanced decision framework covering the genuine advantages and disadvantages of personal loan borrowing.

What happens if you cannot repay a personal loan?

The process from missed payment to default, what options exist at each stage, and where to get free help before things escalate.

What credit score do you need for a personal loan?

Why there is no universal threshold, what the three UK credit score scales mean, and how your score band affects the rate you are likely to be offered.

How much can you borrow with a personal loan?

Typical borrowing ranges, how rate bands affect what is available, and the crossover point where secured lending may offer better terms.

Personal loans vs credit cards: which costs less?

A direct cost comparison across five dimensions, including the 0% card scenario and when Section 75 protection tips the balance.

Personal loans vs buy now, pay later

How BNPL compares to a personal loan, the risks of stacking multiple BNPL commitments, and where emerging regulation leaves things.

Personal loans vs overdrafts: comparing the true cost

Why persistent overdraft use at 35 to 40 percent EAR typically costs more than a personal loan for the same amount and term.

Can you switch or refinance a personal loan?

The mechanics of refinancing, statutory early repayment charge caps, and a break-even calculation to see whether switching saves money.

How to find a low-rate personal loan

The factors that drive the rate you are offered, the borrowing band sweet spot, and the right sequence for comparing and applying.

Your bank vs the open market

Whether your existing bank offers a genuine advantage, and when shopping around with eligibility checkers produces a better deal.

How to apply for a personal loan: step by step

The full process from checking your credit file through to funds in your account, including what documentation each employment type needs.

Soft searches and eligibility checkers

How to compare likely rates across multiple lenders without leaving hard footprints on your credit file. One of the most practically useful guides on this page.

Personal loans and affordability: how lenders decide

How FCA affordability assessment works, what metrics lenders use, and why high income does not always mean automatic approval.

How long does a personal loan take to arrange?

Realistic timelines for online and high-street lenders, what causes delays, and how to prepare so funds arrive when you need them.

Top mistakes to avoid when applying

The most common and costly errors: rate-band gaming, skipping soft searches, focusing on monthly payment instead of total cost, and more.

Managing your personal loan: tips for staying on track

Practical guidance on maintaining repayments, what to do if circumstances change, and when to consider overpayments or refinancing.

How to repay a personal loan early

Statutory charge caps (1% and 0.5%), how to request a settlement figure, and the calculation to work out whether early repayment saves money.

Personal loans and your consumer rights

The 14-day cooling-off period, early repayment rights, settlement figures, the Financial Ombudsman, and everything the Consumer Credit Act gives you.

Personal loans for self-employed borrowers

How lenders verify self-employed income, which documents are required, and how to present your application in the strongest position.

Personal loans for young adults and first-time borrowers

The thin credit file challenge, realistic expectations for first-time applicants, and practical starting points for building a borrowing history.

Personal loans on a low income

What is realistically available, how affordability works when income is limited, and the alternatives specifically designed for low-income borrowers.

Joint personal loans: borrowing as a couple

How joint applications work, the financial association it creates, and when a single application in one name is the better option.

Personal loans and benefits: can you borrow on Universal Credit?

Whether benefits count as income, interest-free alternatives many people do not know about (budgeting loans and advances), and where to get free help.

Personal loans during divorce and separation

What happens to existing joint loans, the critical point about joint liability, and how to handle new borrowing during a separation.

Personal loans with no credit history

The difference between no history and bad history, practical steps to build a credit file from scratch, and realistic timelines for each.

Credit union loans: how they work and who can join

What credit unions are, the statutory rate cap, how to find one, and why they are a genuine alternative for smaller loans and harder-to-serve borrowers.

Personal loans for car purchases

How a personal loan compares to HP, PCP, and dealer finance: ownership, cost, the cash buyer advantage, and when manufacturer subsidies change the calculation.

Personal loans for weddings: budgeting before you borrow

How to build a realistic budget, why borrowing a round number without a breakdown is risky, and the over-borrowing trap with once-in-a-lifetime events.

Personal loans for holidays: is it worth borrowing?

The most balanced article in this collection. When borrowing for a holiday might be reasonable, when it is not, and what the total cost reality looks like.

Personal loans for medical and dental expenses

Common scenarios from dental implants to fertility treatment, when a provider's own 0% finance is cheaper, and how to plan borrowing around staged treatments.

Personal loans for moving and relocation costs

The costs that catch people out (deposits, removals, overlap periods), the renter challenge, and the importance of arranging funds before the move date.

Using a personal loan for an emergency

The tension between speed and cost, alternatives ranked by expense, and how to right-size emergency borrowing to cover only what is needed.

Personal loans for large purchases: when borrowing makes sense

A decision framework covering the total cost test, the opportunity cost of savings vs borrowing, and when spreading the cost is genuinely worth it.

Personal loan repayment calculator

Adjust loan amount, APR, and term to see your monthly payment, total amount repayable, and total interest.

Loan switching calculator

Model whether refinancing to a new rate saves money after accounting for early repayment charges.

APR band rate comparator

See how the rate and total cost change across borrowing bands and whether crossing a threshold genuinely saves money.

Personal loan vs credit card comparator

Compare the total cost of a personal loan against a credit card, including 0% promotional periods and revert rates.

Early repayment saving calculator

Estimate whether settling your loan early saves money after the early repayment charge is taken into account.

Loan term vs total cost explorer

Visualise the trade-off between monthly affordability and total cost across every term from 1 to 7 years.

Representative APR reality checker

See the cost at the advertised rate vs what near-prime and adverse borrowers are likely to pay. Unique tool showing the gap between headline and reality.

Loan offer comparison tool

Compare up to three loan offers side by side on monthly payment, total interest, total repayable, and cost per £1,000 borrowed.

Credit card to personal loan calculator

Enter up to four card balances to see whether consolidating into a personal loan saves money or costs more over the full term.

Credit score band rate estimator

Select your credit band to see the illustrative APR range and total cost you are likely to face before using an eligibility checker.

Personal loan document checklist

Select your employment type to generate a tailored list of documents lenders commonly request, with a progress tracker.

Personal loan eligibility estimator

A self-assessment questionnaire that estimates your eligibility band and suggests next steps. Not a credit check.