List of Direct Lenders in the UK - Active & Inactive

A direct lender is a company that lends its own money straight to borrowers. There are no middlemen, no brokers passing your details around, and no third parties involved in the lending decisions. You apply, they decide, and if approved, the loan goes into your bank account, that's it. This means the entire process is handled by one company.

From the moment you fill in your application to the moment you make your final repayment, you deal with the same lender. Most uk direct lenders today operate online, so you can apply 24/7 from your phone or laptop. Many also offer decisions in minutes and send funds the same day.

For anyone who values speed, clarity, and fewer emails from random companies, a loan from a direct lender is a strong option.

This is a question many borrowers get wrong, and it's worth getting right. A direct lender uses its own funds to offer loans and makes its own lending decisions. A credit broker, on the other hand, does not lend money at all. Instead, a broker takes your details and passes them to one or more lenders on their panel.

Here's a quick side-by-side breakdown:

With a direct lender loan, your information stays between you and the lender. The application process is simpler, the communication is clearer, and you always know exactly who you're borrowing from.

Checkout our guide on: I Need a Loan But Keep Getting Declined?

There are many strong reasons to borrow from a direct lender rather than going through a broker.

• First, the borrowing process is more straightforward. You apply once, with one company, and receive one decision. There's no wondering which lender has your data or who might contact you next.
• Second, many direct lender loan providers are transparent about their interest rates, fees, and repayment terms upfront. You can use their online loan calculator before you apply, so you know exactly what you'll pay back each month.
• Third, because you're dealing with the lender directly, any issues with your repayment schedule or account can be sorted quickly. You don't have to chase a broker who then chases a lender, you go straight to the source.
• Finally, reputable uk direct lenders are all regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which means they must follow strict rules around responsible lending and affordability checks.

Monixa is an FCA-authorised direct lender that offers loan amounts from £200 to £1,500. You can repay over 4 to 6 fixed monthly instalments, making it a flexible option for short-term borrowing. Representative APR is 1230%.

What sets Monixa apart is how it decides who to approve. Instead of relying only on credit scores, Monixa uses Open Banking data and smart affordability checks to look at your current income and spending. This means we can still approve customers who might get rejected by other direct lenders (while still lending ethically and responsibly).

Bad credit is considered, and applying won't affect your credit score unless you actually take out a loan. The application process takes minutes, decisions come in seconds, and if approved, cash is sent to your bank within 90 seconds†. There are no hidden fees and no charges for paying off your loan early.

Monixa is an alternative to payday loans, offering a short term loan structure that spreads the cost over several months.

QuidMarket is a uk direct lender offering loan amounts between £300 and £1,500. New customers can borrow up to £600 on their first loan, with higher amounts available for returning customers. Repayment terms range from 3 to 6 months, and the representative APR is 1292.1%.

QuidMarket offer loans as an alternative to traditional payday loan products and focus on responsible lending practices. The application process is fully online, and if approved during working hours, funds can reach your account the same day.

Read our guide on: Short Term Loans vs Payday Loans

Evlo Loans, formerly known as Everyday Loans, is a direct lender that specialises in personal loans for people with less-than-perfect credit. They offer loans from £1,000 to £15,000 with repayment terms ranging from 18 to 60 months. The representative APR is 99.9%.

Evlo has nearly 70 branches across the UK, and their team will review your finances in person. This means they can sometimes approve loan applications that other lenders would reject, because they look beyond your credit score. Evlo is FCA-authorised, and their unsecured personal loans don't require you to put up your home or car as security.

Bamboo Loans is a direct lender offering unsecured personal loans between £2,000 and £15,000. They cater to borrowers who need larger loan amounts and longer repayment terms than what most short-term lenders provide.

Bamboo is a good option if you're looking for a mid-range personal loan product with a structured repayment schedule. They are FCA-authorised and conduct full affordability checks before making a decision. Existing customers can apply for new loans once their previous loan is repaid.

Savvy offers loans from £300 to £2,500, with repayment terms that range from 6 to 24 months depending on the loan amount you choose. Savvy is a direct lender that positions itself as an ethical alternative to payday loan companies. They do not process payments on Sundays or bank holidays.

Representative APR rates vary depending on the amount borrowed and the repayment period. If you're a UK resident over 18 with a regular income, you can apply online.

Lending Stream is one of the established direct uk lenders, having been in operation since 2008. They offer loans from £50 to £1,500, with a repayment period of 6 or 12 months. The representative APR is 1,271%.

They are FCA-authorised and do not charge any fees for early settlement. New customers can borrow up to £800, while existing customers may be eligible for the full £1,500. One of the perks of Lending Stream is that there are no late payment fees or early repayment penalties.

Moneyboat is a direct lender offering loan amounts from £200 to £1,500. Repayment terms are between 2 and 6 monthly instalments, and new customers can borrow up to £800. The representative APR is 1,267.9%.

Moneyboat is known for being upfront about costs. They charge no fees for paying off your loan early and no late repayment penalties. Their short term loans start from £200, which is useful if you only need a small amount to cover unexpected costs.

LoanPig is a UK-based direct lender and credit broker that offers loan amounts from £50 to £1,500. Repayment terms range from 1 to 12 months, and the representative APR is 1335%. LoanPig is operated by The Money Hive Limited, which is FCA-authorised and regulated.

What makes Loan Pig unique is that it operates as both a direct lender and a broker. If they can't approve your loan directly, they may match you with one of their partner lenders. This gives you a second chance at approval through a single application.

Salad Money is a direct lender offering personal loans from £500 to £2,000. Repayment terms are either 12 or 18 months, and the representative APR is 89.5%. Salad Money uses Open Banking as part of its application process, which means they can look at your actual spending and income rather than relying only on traditional credit checks. They accept applications from new or existing customers and aim to provide fair loan terms for every applicant.

This approach makes Salad a good option for borrowers who might have a low credit score but manage their money well.

Drafty is an FCA-authorised direct lender that offers personal loans from £1,000 to £3,000. Repayment terms are 12, 18, or 24 months with fixed monthly payments, and the representative APR is 79.9%. Drafty is a trading name of Gain Credit LLC, which also owns Lending Stream.

Drafty considers applicants with less-than-perfect credit, so if you've struggled to get approved elsewhere, they may still be able to help. If approved, cash is sent to your bank in under 90 seconds.

Cashfloat is an FCA-authorised direct lender offering short term loans from £300 to £2,500. Repayment terms range from 3 to 9 months, and the representative APR is 611.74%. Cashfloat has been operating since 2014 and has served over 100,000 customers.

Cashfloat is part of the Western Circle group and prides itself on responsible lending. They run detailed affordability checks and their daily interest rate is capped at 0.8%.

Wonga was once the most recognisable payday loan brand in the UK. At its peak, Wonga was making hundreds of millions in profit. However, the company went into administration in August 2018 following a surge in affordability complaints and regulatory pressure. Wonga no longer offer loans or accepts any applications. Grant Thornton was appointed as the administrator.

QuickQuid was one of the largest direct lender operations in the UK, owned by US-based Enova International. The company went into administration in October 2019 after failing to reach an agreement with the Financial Ombudsman over rising customer complaints. QuickQuid offered short term loans and instalment products, but is no longer an active lender.

Dot Dot Loans was a trading name of Shelby Finance Limited, a subsidiary of Morses Club. They offered short term loans from £100 to £1,000 to new or existing customers. In November 2023, both Shelby Finance and Morses Club entered administration. The Dot Dot Loans brand is no longer a direct lender. The domain has since been taken over by a credit broker, so be aware that the website you find today is not the original company.

Sunny was a trading name of Elevate Credit International Limited. They offered flexible loans with a line-of-credit model, allowing customers to borrow and repay repeatedly. Sunny was placed into administration on 29 June 2020 and is no longer accepting loan applications. Customers with outstanding balances were directed to the administrators for support.

Satsuma was a UK direct lender operated by Provident Financial Group. They offered personal loan products as an online alternative to doorstep loans. Satsuma stopped accepting new applications in June 2020 and eventually went into administration in 2021. The brand is no longer active.

Payday UK was a sister company of Payday Express, both operated under Instant Cash Loans Limited. They offered traditional payday loan products online. Both brands stopped issuing new loans in October 2017 as the company struggled to cope with FCA regulations and rising money problems caused by affordability complaints.

The Money Shop was once Britain's best-known high street payday loan lender, with over 551 branches at its peak in 2014. It was a trading name of Instant Cash Loans Limited (alongside Payday UK and Payday Express). The company stopped providing doorstep loans and high street lending in 2018, and entered a scheme of arrangement in October 2019.

SafetyNet Credit was a trading name of Indigo Michael Limited. It offered a revolving credit facility that let customers borrow money and repay over time. SafetyNet went into administration in January 2023, alongside its sister brand Tappily. Neither brand is still operating.

Provident was one of the oldest lending companies in the UK, operating for over 140 years. They were known for doorstep loans, a model where agents visited customers at home to collect repayments. Provident is no longer trading. The brand and its associated lending operations have all closed, ending one of the longest-running chapters in UK consumer credit.

Before you apply with any lender, always confirm they are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. You can check this by searching the FCA Register on their official website. Every legitimate direct lender in the UK will display their FCA registration number on their site.

Interest rates can vary between uk direct lenders. Some charge a fixed interest rate, while others use variable rates. The representative APR is the figure most commonly used to compare costs. By law, at least 51% of approved applicants must receive the advertised representative APR or better. The remaining customers may be offered a different rate based on their circumstances.

Repayment terms differ from lender to lender. Some offer loans with 3-month terms, while others let you spread payments over several years. Also check for flexible repayment terms. Can you make early payments? Is there a fee for early settlement? Lenders like Monixa do not charge anything for early repayment.

Most reputable lenders provide an online loan calculator on their website. This tool lets you enter your preferred loan amount and repayment period to see exactly what you'll pay each month and in total. It's one of the most useful features available and takes seconds to use.