Please note: You should always refer to your loan agreement for exact repayment amounts as they may vary from our results.
Secure payday loans
Do you know what the risks are when you apply? Find out what makes a short term loan safe and how you can get one.
A short term loan, also known as a payday loan, is an option when you need money quickly, and there are scores of short term loan providers across the UK. However, even though government regulations dictate how payday lenders operate, there are still some disreputable lenders.
Security plays a particularly important role if you’re considering applying for a short term loan online, because you’ll need to provide your financial and identification documents over the Internet. There are secure short term loans available and this guide will show you how to find them.
What are secure payday loans?
A secure short term loan is one where the loan provider keeps your information safe and confidential, and adheres to rules and regulations.
In terms of features, they are the same as other short term loans.
Are secure short term loans regulated?
Yes. Recent government regulations restrict how much you can borrow and what fees and interest lenders can charge.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has implemented three changes to the price structure of short term loans to protect borrowers from unfair lending practices. These:
- Reduce the maximum daily interest rate to 0.8% per day
- Cap default fees at £15 to protect customers who struggle to pay back the loan and prevent them from getting further into debt
- Cap the maximum total cost of a payday loan at 100% so customers will never have to pay interest that exceeds the loan amount
A selection of secure short term loans you can apply for
Table: promoted deals, sorted by total payable
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Warning: Late repayment can cause you serious money problems. For help, go to moneyhelper.org.uk.
Please note: High-cost short-term credit is unsuitable for sustained borrowing over long periods and would be expensive as a means of longer-term borrowing.
The features that come with secure short term loans
A secure short term loan offers the same features that come with a typical short term loan. Here’s what you can expect when you apply:
- Secure online application. Lenders who provide secure online short term loans make use of the latest encryption technology to ensure that the personal and financial information you provide remains safe.
- Loan amount and terms. A lender should not offer you a loan that exceeds the restrictions set by government regulations.
- Quick access to funds. Some online short term lenders can give you access to the money you need on the day you apply, or at the latest the following business day. If you apply online and the lender has a physical branch location you may have the option of picking up your loan in-store.
- Use your funds however you need to. You can use the loan for any purpose, but it’s worth remembering that short term loans are not designed for covering ongoing expenses. They’re for one-off emergencies like repairing your car or a broken boiler.
What you should look for to find a safe loan
There are many loans on offer. Here’s how to find a safe option no matter what kind of financing you’re looking for:
- Payday loans. A payday loan is usually paid back in one lump-sum, typically when you receive your next paycheck. Contact the FCA to find out if the lender you’re considering follows its standards and if there are any unresolved complaints against its name.
- Instalment loans. While most payday loans typically last for a month, it’s becoming increasingly common to borrow for slightly longer periods. These loans require you to make repayments in instalments spread across a scheduled time period, which can be up to three months or more. Ensuring that you’re dealing with a reliable lender when getting an instalment loan is crucial. To check the reputability of the lender, you can follow the same process as detailed above for short term lenders.
- FCA authorisation. Check the FCA register to verify if the the lender you are borrowing from is authorised as a lender.
Is applying online for a short term loan safe?
Safe short term loans are easy to find in the online world. Most of the leading short term lenders make use of 128-bit secure socket layer (SSL) encryption technology to keep the transfer of information secure.
When you’re considering online short term lenders, stick to ones who provide phone numbers and a mailing address in a visible location on their website.
The short term loan industry is home to some disreputable lenders, which means it’s important that you compare your options and apply with lenders that are reputable and trustworthy.
Frequently asked questions about secure short term loans
We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you.
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