Looking for a short-term loan? Let CashLady take over the search today.
CashLady is a credit broker. We can scan a panel of over 30 direct lenders to help you find a short-term loan to best suit your financial circumstances.
The lenders we work with offer loans from £100 to £10,000. Depending on the amount you apply to borrow, you could repay the money between 3 and 60 months.
What is a short-term loan?
A short-term loan is when you borrow money from a lender to cover the cost of an urgent, unexpected expense. This could include a replacement boiler, car repairs, or an unplanned bill.
The money is then repaid in monthly instalments, including interest, over a set number of months or years.
Short term loan example
You take out a £500 loan over 12 months with an Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of 79.5%. Please note that the following example does not consider any standard fees and is for illustrative purposes only.
- Your monthly repayments are approximately £61.70, including interest.
- Over a year, you’ll pay £240.39 in interest.
- The total amount repayable is £677.
- The total amount repayable is £740.39..
- In this case, it will cost £240.39 to borrow £500.
We used this loan calculator to create this example.
Short-term loans v payday loans
There is one key difference between a short-term loan and a payday loan, and that’s the repayment duration.
A payday loan is designed to do just that: provide you with a loan between one payday and the next. You’ll typically need to repay a payday loan in full, plus interest, within a month.
A short-term loan provides borrowers with a range of repayment terms. An extended period of borrowing could help customers spread the cost of the loan and make repayments more manageable.
Important: your short-term loan repayments
Before you search for a short-term loan, you should take the time to consider how the cost of monthly repayments will affect your finances.
You may want to go through your current monthly outgoings in careful detail to see how much money you’ll have left over once essentials, such as housing, bills, and food, have been covered.
Repaying a loan shouldn’t leave you out of pocket, and you should never apply for a loan unless you’re certain that you can afford to repay it.
If you’re interested in personal budget management and looking into how a loan could potentially affect your finances, you might find this free monthly budget planner and loan repayment calculator useful.
Short-term loan direct lender vs short-term loan credit broker
If you’ve decided that a short-term loan could be suitable for you, the next step is to decide whether you’d like to apply with a direct lender or search through a credit broker.
A direct lender can only check your eligibility for their loan product(s). If what they offer isn’t a good fit for you, you might be tempted to apply again elsewhere, with the same scenario repeating multiple times until you do find a lender willing to consider your application.
Every time you apply for a loan with a direct lender, they will carry out a creditworthiness assessment, which will involve a hard search or Open Banking. Undergoing multiple hard searches too close together is harmful to your credit score, which in turn could reduce your chances of being considered for credit.
A credit broker, such as CashLady, can scan multiple lenders at the same time to help find the right one for you, based on your financial situation.
Why choose CashLady to help you search for a short-term loan?
- Any credit history considered.
- Our online form can be accessed 24/7 and is straightforward to complete.
- If approved, your money could be sent today.*
- CashLady is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
- We don’t charge any fees.
Search for a short-term loan with CashLady
You can use CashLady to help you search for a short-term loan if you:
- Are over the age of 18;
- Are a UK resident;
- Have a UK bank account with a valid debit card; and
- Have a regular source of income paid into your bank account.
If you match the above eligibility criteria and would like to go ahead and start a search, here’s what you can expect from the CashLady journey:
1. How much money do you need to borrow, and how long would you like to borrow it for? Let us know some key information by completing our five-minute online form.
2. We’ll carry out a soft search with no impact on your credit score. The result of the check will help us search for a suitable short-term loan for you. This step will take just 60 seconds.
3. If we’ve been able to match you with a lender, you’ll be redirected to their website, where you can decide whether you’d like to make a full application.
4. Happy to go ahead? At this stage, the lender will complete a creditworthiness assessment, which will include a hard search or Open Banking. Please note that a hard search will remain on your credit file for up to 12 months, and undergoing multiple hard searches in a short period will damage your credit score.
5. If you pass the lender’s checks, you’ll be offered the short-term loan.
How soon could I get a short-term loan?
Several of the lenders on the CashLady panel could send your money on the same day as your application is approved, although the time it takes for the money to show in your account will depend on your bank’s policies and procedures.
What happens if you can’t find me a short-term loan?
Unfortunately, sometimes it might not be possible for us to match you with a short-term loan. We would never want to put any of our customers in a stressful position where they might not be able to afford the money they’ve applied to borrow.
If we haven’t been able to find you a suitable loan, we may match you with an alternative product, such as a credit monitoring or credit building service. Some of these services may charge a fee. Please note that you are under no obligation to use any of these alternative products.
We’re continually reviewing our panel and welcoming new lenders onboard, and it might be worth checking your chances again in a couple of months. During that time, you might want to research ways to work towards a healthier credit position. While it isn’t guaranteed, a good credit score could improve your chances of being considered for a short-term loan.
Ways to improve your credit score
- Pay your bills on time each month.
- Keep your credit applications to a minimum. Each time you make a new application for credit with a direct lender, a hard search is carried out. Numerous hard searches within a short space of time will cause your credit score to decline.
- Register to vote. You might not associate voting with your credit score, but being on the electoral roll could make it easier for potential lenders to verify you at your current address, which could have a positive influence on your credit score.
- Check your credit report for errors. The information held on your credit report should be accurate and up to date.
- Understand credit card etiquette. If you have a credit card, you should know all the ways that it could affect your credit score. Avoid using your credit card to withdraw money from a cash machine, stay well within your credit limit, and try to keep your credit card utilisation as low as possible.
- Look into a credit builder credit card. This type of credit card is designed for people with limited or poor credit history and often comes with a lower starting credit limit to help encourage sensible spending. Over time, with a clear pattern of responsible spending and reliable repayments, you might notice an improvement in your credit score.
When it comes to improving your credit position, it’s important to remember that no one method offers a guaranteed solution. For best results, you should try to apply as many credit-building techniques as you can to your everyday life.
Will a short-term loan negatively affect my credit score?
Not necessarily. The impact a short-term loan will have on your credit score will depend on how your repayments are managed.
A late or missed repayment will harm your credit score, while a loan that’s repaid on time each month could eventually increase your credit position. Please note that you’ll need to make sure that your bills and any other credit commitments are also handled effectively.
What to do if you think you might miss an upcoming loan repayment
As soon as you feel as though you might struggle to make your next short-term loan repayment, you should contact your lender.
We understand how daunting this may feel, but whatever you’re facing, it’s better to address and deal with it as soon as you can, so that your lender is aware of the situation and can talk you through any options that may be available.
Get free, impartial money and debt advice
The following charities and organisations can provide free and confidential support to anyone experiencing money or debt concerns:
*Payout timescales vary between lenders. The time it takes for the money to appear in your account will depend on your bank’s policies and procedures.
CashLady Representative 79.5% APR
Representative Example
Amount of credit:
£1000 for 12 months
at £123.40 per month
Total amount repayable of £1,480.77
Interest: £480.77
Interest rate: 79.5% pa (fixed)
79.5% APR Representative
Warning: Late repayment can cause you serious money problems.
For help, go to moneyhelper.org.uk