{"id":77835,"date":"2017-12-19T11:22:49","date_gmt":"2017-12-19T11:22:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/?page_id=77835"},"modified":"2026-01-15T10:16:54","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T10:16:54","slug":"personal-loans","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans","title":{"rendered":"Compare personal loans"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"luna-card luna-card--alt\"><div class=\"luna-card__block text-center has-padding-small\"><p class=\"has-margin-bottom-xxsmall\">Please note: You should always refer to your loan agreement for exact repayment amounts as they may vary from our results.<\/p><p>Late repayments can cause you serious money problems. See our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/debt\" class=\"fin-text-navy\">debt help<\/a> guides.<\/p><\/div><\/article><h3 id=\"ukfplinfo\">What is a personal loan?<\/h3><p>A personal loan is when you borrow a fixed amount from a lender and pay it back with interest over a set time period, usually in fixed monthly repayments. They are often used for more personal purchases such as home renovations, holidays or weddings. <\/p><p>Lenders consider factors like your income, credit score and borrowing history when deciding whether to offer you a loan and what interest rate to charge (<a href=\"#whatsapr\" class=\"scroll\">learn more about APR<\/a>).<\/p><p>The main advantage of a loan is you get cash upfront, but are still able to spread the cost of a big purchase over time through paying back your loan in instalments.<\/p><div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><h3 itemprop=\"name\">What should I look for in a personal loan?<\/h3><div itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\"><div itemprop=\"text\"><p>There are a few key features you\u2019ll want to consider when comparing loans. To find a better deal, ask yourself these questions:<\/p><ul class=\"list-1 has-margin-bottom\"><li><strong>1. Eligibility criteria.<\/strong> Do I qualify for this loan? Don\u2019t waste time researching a loan if you don\u2019t meet the requirements. Most \u2013 if not all \u2013 lenders offer a free eligibility checker.<\/li><li><strong>2. Loan amount.<\/strong> Can I borrow the amount I need? Will you be able to take out the amount you need and afford to pay it back in a reasonable amount of time? If not, you might want to look elsewhere or consider other borrowing options.<\/li><li><strong>3. Interest rate.<\/strong> Does it have a competitive interest rate? Is it fixed or variable? Most unsecured personal loans charge a fixed rate of interest, meaning your monthly repayments will stay the same throughout the loan. Remember that the advertised rate is not necessarily the rate that the lender will offer you. Lenders will look at factors like your credit score, borrowing history, income and expenditure when deciding what rate to offer you.<\/li><li><strong>4. Loan term.<\/strong> How long will I have to pay it back? Aim for a loan term that gives you monthly repayments you can afford without being too long. Otherwise, you could wind up paying a lot in interest in the long run.<\/li><li><strong>5. Fees.<\/strong> What are the fees? A few lenders will charge an \u201carrangement\u201d or \u201cset-up\u201d fee for taking out a personal loan.<\/li><li><strong>6. Repayment options.<\/strong> Can I make overpayments or repay the loan early? Most lenders will not penalise you for paying back some or all of the loan early, however, that doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that doing so will save you money in interest. In many cases, you will be charged one or even two months interest to settle your loan early, so make sure you do your calculations first.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><p>It\u2019s important to remember that every individual\u2019s personal circumstances are different and lenders will assess each application based on these. To give some further guidance on which lender might be best for your circumstances, our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans\/best\">best personal loans<\/a> guide highlights lenders that are favourable for a variety of different financial circumstances and credit scores.<\/p><div class=\"importantText importantText__quote\">\n  <blockquote>\n    <div class=\"importantText__quoteIcon\"><\/div>\n    <p>When choosing a personal loan, selecting a longer repayment term, say 5 or 7 years, will help to reduce your monthly repayments and make them more affordable. But it also means you\u2019ll pay more in interest overall. It\u2019s worth using a loan repayment calculator to see whether you could still afford the monthly repayments if you reduced the term to 2 or 3 years, for example, as you\u2019ll save money in the long run.\u201d<\/p>\n    <footer class=\"importantText__quoteAuthor\">\u2013 <cite>Rachel Wait, financial journalist<\/cite><\/footer>\n  <\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Credit cards vs personal loans<\/h3><p>Wondering if you should just get a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/credit-cards\">credit card<\/a>? Potentially, yes. However, the answer depends on what you\u2019re buying, how much you\u2019re borrowing and your level of self-discipline!<\/p><p>A credit card can be a more cost-effective option for borrowing a sum under \u00a35,000, providing you have the discipline to repay it. Unless you have a good credit score and high income, credit cards typically won\u2019t give you a credit limit of more than \u00a33,000 to \u00a35,000. Above \u00a35,000, and a personal loan could be a cheaper option.<\/p><p>Personal loans come in a lump sum and you have a predetermined amount of time to pay them off. By contrast, credit cards are a revolving form of credit. You borrow what you need, when you need it (subject to a card\u2019s monthly limit) and you have to make at least a minimum monthly payment. Credit card interest rates are generally variable.<\/p><p>Using the wrong credit card could cost you more because credit cards tend to have higher rates than personal loans. However, a card with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/credit-cards\/0-purchase-credit-cards\">promotional rate of 0% on purchases<\/a> could be a smart option, if you can get approved with the credit limit that you need. Any purchases you make during the 0% purchase period don\u2019t attract any monthly interest, so you can put a big, planned purchase on the card and then pay it off gradually each month (you\u2019ll always have to make at least the minimum required payment). However, this type of credit card is quite often reserved for those with a good credit score and a positive borrowing history. You\u2019ll also need to make sure you can pay off the balance before the 0% purchase period ends, otherwise you\u2019ll be charged the credit card\u2019s standard interest rate on any outstanding balance.<\/p><p>Finally, before deciding to apply for a credit card, you should consider any monthly or annual card fees, as well as any introductory offers (such as limited-time cashback) or rewards schemes (such as points to redeem on flights). And don\u2019t forget that you\u2019ll pay a charge each time you withdraw cash on a credit card.<\/p><p><a class=\"more-link-arrow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/credit-cards\"><strong>Credit cards<\/strong><\/a><\/p><style type=\"text\/css\">\n    .survey-response {\n        overflow-x: auto;\n        max-width: 800px;\n    }\n\n    .survey-response .luna-table th,\n    .survey-response .luna-table td {\n        padding: 0.3rem 1rem calc(0.20rem + 1px);\n        font-size: 12px;\n        color: rgb(117, 117, 117);\n        text-align: left;\n    }\n\n    .survey-response .luna-table {\n        border: none;\n    }\n\n    .survey-response .row-color-icon {\n        width: 10px;\n        height: 10px;\n        display: inline-block;\n        margin-right: 4px;\n        border-radius: 2px;\n    }\n\n    .survey-response .source-container {\n        top: -12px !important;\n        position: relative;\n    }\n\n    .survey-response .source {\n        color: rgb(108, 120, 129);\n        font-size: 11px;\n    }\n\n    .survey-response .source-link {\n        color: rgb(2, 113, 225);\n        font-size: 11px;\n        text-decoration: underline;\n    }\n\n    @media (min-width: 600px) {\n        .survey-response .border-fix {\n            border-radius: 12px;\n            border: 1px solid var(--light-divider-normal, #E5E7EB);\n            background: var(--light-background-main, #FFF);\n            padding: 0px\n        }\n    }\n\n    .survey-response .chart-container {\n        min-height: 250px;\n        border-radius: 12px;\n        border: 1px solid var(--light-divider-normal, #E5E7EB);\n        background: var(--light-background-main, #FFF);\n        padding: 15px;\n    }\n\n    .google-visualization-tooltip {\n        pointer-events: none;\n    }\n\n    @media screen and (min-width: 960px) {\n        .survey-response.u-grid {\n            margin-left: auto;\n            display: flex;\n            justify-content: space-between;\n            margin-right: auto;\n        }\n\n        .u-grid__col.chart-container {\n            margin-left: 0 !important;\n            margin-right: 0 !important;\n        }\n    }\n\n    .survey-response .table-container {\n        overflow-x: auto;\n        max-width: 800px;\n        display: block;\n    }\n\n    @media screen and (max-width: 959px) {\n        .survey-response .table-container {\n            display: block;\n        }\n\n        .source-container {\n            margin-left: 2rem;\n            margin-right: 2rem;\n        }\n    }\n\n<\/style><h4>Credit card vs loan companies: Whose customers are more likely to recommend their provider to friends\/family?<\/h4><div id=\"scale-surveys-10035-27\" class=\"survey-response u-grid u-grid--gutterLarge\"><div id=\"view-credit-card-vs-loan-companies:-whose-customers-are-more-likely-to-recommend-their-provider-to-friends\/family\" class=\"u-grid__col u-1\/2@s u-1\/1 aligncenter size-full chart-container\" style=\"max-width: 330px;\"><\/div><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\t\t\t\t(function() {\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tvar packageToLoad = 'bar';\n\t\t\t\t\tvar eventName = 'GoogleChartsLoaded-' + packageToLoad;\n\t\t\t\t\tvar event = new Event(eventName);\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tdocument.addEventListener(eventName, function() {\n\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log('called event!', eventName);\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tfunction drawChart() {\n\t\t\t\t\t\tvar chartType = '';\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tvar data = google.visualization.arrayToDataTable([\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t['Response', 'Personal loan providers', 'Credit card issuers'],\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t['Response', 89.80, 89.50]\n\t\t\t\t\t\t]);\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tvar options = {\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tlegend: { \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tposition: 'none'\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t},\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tcolors: ['#1a69e8', '#3178ea', '#4887ed', '#5f96ef', '#76a5f1', '#8db4f4', '#a3c3f6', '#bad2f8', '#1a69e8', '#3178ea', '#4887ed', '#5f96ef', '#76a5f1', '#8db4f4', '#a3c3f6', '#bad2f8']\n\t\t\t\t\t\t};\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tvar chart;\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tchart = new google.charts.Bar(document.getElementById('view-credit-card-vs-loan-companies:-whose-customers-are-more-likely-to-recommend-their-provider-to-friends\/family'));\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Bar chart specific options can go here\n\t\t\t\t\t\toptions.bars = 'vertical';\n\t\t\t\t\t\toptions.hAxis = {\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tviewWindowMode: 'maximize',\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tformat: '#,###\\'%\\'',\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttitle: ''\n\t\t\t\t\t\t};\n\t\t\t\t\t\toptions.vAxis = {\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tformat: '#,###\\'%\\'',\n\t\t\t\t\t\t};\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tchart.draw(data, (chartType == 'pie') ? options : google.charts.Bar.convertOptions(options));\n\t\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\t\t\tdrawChart();\n\t\t\t\t\t});\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tfunction init() {\n\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log('calling init', eventName);\n\t\t\t\t\t\tif (typeof google !== 'undefined' && google.charts) {\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log('found charts', google, packageToLoad);\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tgoogle.charts.load('current', {'packages':[packageToLoad]});\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tgoogle.charts.setOnLoadCallback(function() {\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.dispatchEvent(event);\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t});\n\t\t\t\t\t\t} else {\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log('retrying');\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tsetTimeout(init, 100);\n\t\t\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\t\tinit();\n\t\t\t\t})()\n\t\t\t<\/script><div class=\"u-grid__col u-1\/2@s  u-1\/1 aligncenter size-full border-fix table-container\"><table class=\"luna-table js-tablesorter tablesorter tablesorter-default\" role=\"grid\"><thead class=\"luna-table__header\"><tr><th>Response<\/th><th>% of customers that would recommend<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody class=\"luna-table__body\" aria-live=\"polite\" aria-relevant=\"all\"><tr><td><span class=\"row-color-icon\" style=\"background-color: #1a69e8;\"><\/span>Personal loan providers<\/td><td>89.80%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span class=\"row-color-icon\" style=\"background-color: #3178ea;\"><\/span>Credit card issuers<\/td><td>89.50%<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><div class=\"source-container\"><span class=\"source\">Source: Finder survey by OnePoll of 750 Brits    \t\t<\/span><\/div><\/div><h3 id=\"whatsapr\">What is APR?<\/h3><p>The annual percentage rate (APR) provides an annual summary of the cost of a specific loan from a specific lender. It takes into account both interest and any fees that all borrowers will have to pay. If a loan doesn\u2019t come with a product\/arrangement\/application fee, then usually the interest rate and the APR will be the same (fees that you <i>might<\/i> incur, like missed payment fees or early redemption fees, aren\u2019t taken into account).<\/p><p>The vast majority of lenders tailor the rates they offer to each applicant. This is known as \u201crisk-based pricing\u201d. If your application for a loan is successful, a lender will make you a loan offer, detailing the actual APR that you\u2019ll receive.<\/p><p><strong>The representative APR is the APR that a lender realistically expects 51% of its customers to receive.<\/strong> The 51% of applicants with the highest credit scores tend to be offered the representative APR, while the other 49% are likely to be offered a higher rate.<\/p><p>For personal loans, the representative APR is relevant but doesn\u2019t tell the whole story. For example, if it\u2019s very low, it probably means you need an excellent credit score to get accepted in the first place; if your credit score is less than perfect and you get approved, you\u2019re likely to be offered a higher rate than the advertised one. Interest rates can also vary according to the amount and duration of a loan.<\/p><p>So despite the fact that APRs and representative APRs are designed to help consumers, they can feel like a bit of a minefield. Thankfully, most lenders offer a \u201csoft search\u201d or \u201celigibility checker\u201d facility that you can use before applying for a loan. These facilities generally won\u2019t impact your credit score and show you how likely you are to be accepted for a particular loan and what interest rate you might get.<\/p><p>Better still, services like Finder offer a free eligibility checker, that runs a soft search with multiple lenders in one go.<\/p><p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/07\/personal_loans_application-453x1024.png\" alt=\"Infographic showing the loan application process\" width=\"453\" height=\"1024\" class=\"alignright size-large wp-image-117830 sml-image-center\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/07\/personal_loans_application-453x1024.png?fit=180 180w, https:\/\/www.finder.com\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/07\/personal_loans_application-453x1024.png?fit=360 360w, https:\/\/www.finder.com\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/07\/personal_loans_application-453x1024.png?fit=600 600w, https:\/\/www.finder.com\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/07\/personal_loans_application-453x1024.png?fit=900 900w, https:\/\/www.finder.com\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/07\/personal_loans_application-453x1024.png?fit=1200 1200w, https:\/\/www.finder.com\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/07\/personal_loans_application-453x1024.png?fit=1359 1359w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1359px) 100vw, 1359px\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/p><div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><h3 itemprop=\"name\">How can I improve my chances of being approved?<\/h3><div itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\"><div itemprop=\"text\"><p>Unfortunately, there is no way to guarantee you\u2019ll be approved for a personal loan. But, giving yourself a better chance at getting approved starts with meeting the eligibility criteria set by the lender. To better your chances of being approved, keep the following in mind:<\/p><ul><li><strong>Establish your borrowing capacity.<\/strong> What repayments can you afford? Lenders will use a variety of criteria to decide how much you\u2019re eligible to borrow, but you need to know how much you can afford to repay. If you\u2019ve done your sums and are sure you can afford a particular amount each month, chances are a lender will reach the same conclusion.<\/li><li><strong>Build a good banking history.<\/strong> Keep your accounts in good standing to build a positive relationship with your banks, even if you don\u2019t plan on borrowing from them.<\/li><li><strong>Keep your credit rating in good standing.<\/strong> Make sure you keep track of all your payments, from credit cards to utility bills, because any arrears, debts, or missed payments will affect your ability to access credit. Don\u2019t make too many applications for credit, and only apply for products you\u2019re confident you\u2019ll be approved for. Multiple applications for credit in a short space of time can signal financial difficulties to a potential lender.<\/li><li><strong>Keep track of your saving goals.<\/strong> If you manage to contribute to your savings regularly, it shows lenders that you are likely to manage ongoing loan repayments.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><h3>What will I need in order to apply?<\/h3><p>In order to lend responsibly, lenders will need:<\/p><ul class=\"list-1 has-margin-bottom\"><li><strong>Proof of identification.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Proof of address.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Proof of affordability.<\/strong><\/li><\/ul><p>When you apply for a personal loan online, many lenders can verify your identity and financial information electronically through a credit reference agency (CRA) like Experian. Instead of having to produce identification documents or bank statements, you may be asked to answer some security questions that only you should know. This process typically does not impact your credit score, although the subsequent full credit check that usually takes place after you submit your application may cause a slight, short-term dip in your score.<\/p><p>If you choose to apply for a personal loan at a physical branch, you\u2019ll be required to adhere to traditional guidelines. This means you\u2019ll need to provide appropriate documents to establish your identity and address separately. You may also be asked to prove your income, typically with the last two months\u2019 worth of payslips and\/or bank statements, or, if you\u2019re self-employed, a document from HMRC verifying your most recent tax return calculation. However, the lender will still conduct a credit check and affordability assessment using a CRA.<\/p><p><a class=\"more-link-arrow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans\/personal-loan-documents\"><strong>The documents needed to apply for a personal loan<\/strong><\/a><\/p><article class=\"luna-card luna-card--primary\"><div class=\"luna-card__block\"><h4>Personal loan cost comparison<\/h4><div class=\"u-grid\"><div class=\"u-grid__col u-1\/2@s\"><h5>Loan amount: \u00a35,000<\/h5><ul><li>Loan term: 3 years<\/li><li>Interest rate: 19.9%<\/li><li>Monthly repayment: \u00a3181<\/li><li>Total interest: \u00a31,533<\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"u-grid__col u-1\/2@s\"><h5>Loan amount: \u00a35,000<\/h5><ul><li>Loan term: 3 years<\/li><li>Interest rate: 29.3%<\/li><li>Monthly repayment: \u00a3201<\/li><li>Total interest: \u00a32,250<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/article><h3>How to compare personal loans with Finder<\/h3><p>Use our <strong>free<\/strong> eligibility checker to discover the loans that you are most likely to be accepted for, without hurting your credit score.<\/p><p><strong>1. Tell us about yourself<\/strong><br>Let us know how much you want to borrow, what you want the loan for and a little about yourself. Remember, this is not an application, so it will not affect your credit score.<\/p><p><strong>2. We search the market for you<\/strong><br>We search a large panel of lenders to find you the loans that you\u2019re most likely to be accepted for.<\/p><p><strong>3. See your eligibility before you apply<\/strong><br>Sort your personalised results by your chance of approval and compare the best loan rates available to you.<\/p><h3>Finder\u2019s top 5 tips for taking out a personal loan<\/h3><ol><li><strong>Compare lenders.<\/strong> It can be tempting just to take out a loan with your current bank, rather than shopping around. But more often than not, it pays to compare personal loans. And it\u2019s easy! Use Finder\u2019s personal loan comparison tables to estimate the costs with multiple providers, without running a credit check.<\/li><li><strong>Consider if a personal loan is definitely the right option for you.<\/strong> Personal loans can offer a highly-structured form of lending, which can be a real advantage if you have an exact amount you want to borrow. You know when you\u2019ll have paid off the loan, and, if the rate is fixed, you know exactly what you\u2019ll pay. However, there are situations when the flexibility of a credit card or an overdraft could make those more suitable options. Similarly, if you have a mortgage, a secured loan may have a lower rate of interest. There are some important questions to ask yourself, however. If you take out a credit card, will you just end up spending more, and only making the minimum monthly payments? And by remortgaging to release equity in your home, could you end up borrowing more than you need, for much longer than you need it?<\/li><li><strong>Check the early-repayment terms.<\/strong> As well as offering peace of mind, by paying your loan off early you can save money on interest. However, many lenders will charge a fee, for example one month\u2019s interest, if you wish to repay your loan early \u2013 particularly if they\u2019re offering a highly competitive rate. For the lender, it\u2019s a way of guaranteeing a minimum income from the product. If you think that there\u2019s a strong chance you\u2019ll repay the loan early, then a product with no early-repayment fees could potentially be more suitable than a product with high early-repayment fees and a slightly better rate.<\/li><li><strong>Look at the rate bands.<\/strong> Many lenders offer better rates when you borrow larger sums, or when you borrow over longer periods. Sometimes, borrowing fractionally more can put you into the next rate band, and save you a packet in interest. However, keep in mind you should never borrow more than you can afford to pay back.<\/li><li><strong>Understand the risks and check the small print.<\/strong> You should only ever apply for a loan if you\u2019re confident you\u2019re eligible and you\u2019re certain you can meet the repayment terms. If you\u2019re worried about slipping into a habit of spending more than you have, then consider saving the money first, before making that expenditure, rather than borrowing the money.<\/li><\/ol><h3>What about a broker?<\/h3><p>As long as you bear in mind that it\u2019s unlikely to check the whole market, but instead a sub-section of lenders with whom it has an arrangement, then a broker can take the strain out of finding a competitive personal loan deal. Brokers find the most competitive rate available to you from their panel of lenders, taking into account your individual circumstances. Normally this service is free because the broker will earn a referral fee from the lender.<\/p><p>Some brokers and \u201cmatching services\u201d can now run soft searches with a range of lenders in seconds, meaning that without any impact on your credit score you\u2019ll be able to get realistic rate quotes for loans you\u2019re likely to be approved for. This can be a smart way to avoid disappointment, protect your credit score and focus on lenders likely to approve you.<\/p><h3>What can I use a personal loan for?<\/h3><p>A better question is: What can\u2019t you use a personal loan for? This type of financing can cover almost any large expense or even consolidate your debt. Lenders will normally ask you what you need the money for, during the application process. Here are some common reasons for taking out a personal loan:<\/p><ul class=\"list-1\"><li>Buying a new car<\/li><li>Paying for a wedding<\/li><li>Home improvement<\/li><li>Buying furniture<\/li><li>Paying for a holiday<\/li><li>Consolidating debt<\/li><\/ul><p>There are, however, situations when a personal loan isn\u2019t suitable. Here are a few examples:<\/p><ul class=\"list-12\"><li>A deposit on a property<\/li><li>Gambling<\/li><li>Business purposes<\/li><li>Share dealing<\/li><\/ul><h3>How quickly can I get a personal loan?<\/h3><p>There\u2019s no doubt that loan companies are getting faster. Even the big banks have had to up their game to keep up with specialist online direct lenders. But it\u2019s still fairly normal to have to wait a day or more to drawdown your loan.<\/p><p>If you apply for a loan on a weekday during working hours, that usually cuts the time it takes to get the funds in your account. Similarly, if you apply for a loan from the bank you hold a current account with, there\u2019s a good chance it would be in your account within minutes, however, you can almost always save money by comparing rates and shopping around.<\/p><p>Bear in mind that even if a lender offers an instant decision on a personal loan, this doesn\u2019t mean that the money will be in your account instantly. Having said that, these lenders tend to be pretty effective at transferring the money quickly, too. It\u2019s not uncommon for the money to be in your account on the same working day as your application if your application is approved.<\/p><h3>Can I have more than one personal loan at once?<\/h3><p>Yes, it\u2019s perfectly possible to take out more than one loan, with either your current lender or a second lender. However, different lenders have different policies, and each application for credit will be assessed on its own merit.<\/p><p>Alternatively you have the option of going to a second lender to apply for another loan.<\/p><p>If you want to borrow more from your current lender, then there\u2019s a good chance they\u2019ll insist that you terminate your first loan (which <a href=\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans\/personal-loan-early-payoff\">could involve a fee or having to pay one-to-two months\u2019 interest<\/a> beyond the date when you close the loan) and take out a new, bigger loan instead.<\/p><p>For example, the AA does not add on additional funds to a loan. However, if you wish to borrow more money, you can settle your existing AA loan and reapply for a new one.<\/p><p>Ultimately, lenders want to lend, and the more money they lend, the more money they make in interest. Naturally, they\u2019ll want to take care not to expose themselves to undue risk (they want to be sure they\u2019ll get their money back) and they also have a responsibility to ensure that they are lending responsibly.<\/p><p>Before running multiple loans concurrently, you should ask yourself if it\u2019s the most sensible route to ultimately getting free of the debt. In some situations, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk\/en\/articles\/debt-consolidation-loans\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">realistic debt consolidation plan<\/a> or getting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk\/en\/articles\/options-for-clearing-your-debts-england-and-wales\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">advice for debt that\u2019s become overwhelming<\/a> could be a smarter choice.<\/p><h4>3 things to consider before getting another loan<\/h4><ol><li><strong>You might make it harder to borrow in the future.<\/strong> Taking on debt can be good for your credit score if done responsibly. But when you apply for a loan it doesn\u2019t look good if you have too many inquiries on your credit report or are in a great deal of debt already.<\/li><li><strong>It might not be the financial help you need.<\/strong> Regularly taking out personal loans to cover personal expenses could be an indicator that you\u2019re stuck in a debt cycle. In this situation, you might benefit from other financial services <a href=\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/debt\">like debt relief<\/a>. There\u2019s a chance that taking out another personal loan might only dig you deeper into debt.<\/li><li><strong>How much you owe each month will increase.<\/strong> Multiple loans means multiple monthly repayments. While lenders generally won\u2019t approve you for a loan that you can\u2019t afford, if your financial situation changes, it could be more difficult to make all these repayments than if you took out a new, larger loan with a longer term but smaller monthly repayments.<\/li><\/ol>                                    \n<style>\n.tablefade { height: 850px; width: 100%; overflow-x: auto; overflow-y: scroll; }\n.tablefade .luna-table { position: relative; border-left: none !important; }\n.tablefade th:first-child, .tablefade td:first-child { position: sticky; left: 0; background: #ffffff; border-left: 1px solid #d4d3ce; z-index: 2; }\n.tablefade .luna-table td { vertical-align: middle; }\n.tablefade tbody tr:hover td { background-color: #f5f4ef !important; }\n.tablefadeafter { background: linear-gradient(to bottom, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) 0%, rgba(255, 255, 255, 1) 100%); width: 100%; height: 10rem; margin-top: -10rem; margin-bottom: 4rem; position: relative; pointer-events: none; }\n.tablefade img { min-width: 96px; min-height: 53px; }\n\n.tablefade-filtered { max-height: 500px; width: 100%; overflow-x: auto; overflow-y: auto; }\n.tablefade-filtered .luna-table { position: relative; border-left: none !important; }\n.tablefade-filtered th:first-child, .tablefade-filtered td:first-child { position: sticky; left: 0; background: #ffffff; border-left: 1px solid #d4d3ce; z-index: 2; }\n.tablefade-filtered .luna-table td { vertical-align: middle; }\n.tablefade-filtered tbody tr:hover td { background-color: #f5f4ef !important; }\n.tablefadeafter-filtered { background: linear-gradient(to bottom, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) 0%, rgba(255, 255, 255, 1) 100%); width: 100%; height: 3rem; margin-top: -3rem; margin-bottom: 4rem; position: relative; pointer-events: none; z-index: 5; }\n\n.lightbox { display: none; position: fixed; z-index: 9999; left: 0; top: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); }\n.lightbox img { display: block; max-width: 90%; max-height: 90%; margin: auto; position: absolute; top: 50%; left: 50%; transform: translate(-50%, -50%); }\n<\/style>\n\n                    \n    \n\n<div id=\"lightbox\" class=\"lightbox\" onclick=\"closeLightbox()\">\n  <img decoding=\"async\" id=\"lightbox-img\" src=\"\" alt=\"Expanded Finder Badge\" loading=\"lazy\">\n<\/div>\n\n<script>\n  function openLightbox(event, imageUrl) {\n    event.preventDefault();\n    const lb = document.getElementById('lightbox');\n    const lbImg = document.getElementById('lightbox-img');\n    if(lb && lbImg) {\n        lbImg.src = imageUrl;\n        lb.style.display = \"block\";\n    }\n  }\n  function closeLightbox() {\n    const lb = document.getElementById('lightbox');\n    if(lb) lb.style.display = \"none\";\n  }\n<\/script><h3>Frequently asked questions<\/h3><ul class=\"luna-accordionGroup accordionGroup\"><li class=\"luna-accordion\" data-accordion=\"accordion\">\n  <div class=\"luna-accordion__summary\">\n    <h4 class=\"luna-accordion__heading\">\n      <button class=\"luna-accordion__action collapsed\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion0000000000\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-target=\"#accordion0000000000\">\n        <span class=\"luna-accordion__title\">How much can I borrow with an unsecured personal loan?<\/span>\n        <svg class=\"luna-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n          <use xlink:href=\"#chevron-down\" data-accordion-icon=\"show\"><\/use>\n          <use xlink:href=\"#chevron-up\" data-accordion-icon=\"hide\" class=\"is-hidden\"><\/use>\n        <\/svg>\n      <\/button>\n    <\/h4>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"luna-accordion__details collapse\" aria-hidden=\"true\" id=\"accordion0000000000\" data-accordion=\"details\">\n    <div class=\"accordionContent\"><p>You can typically borrow between \u00a31,000 and \u00a325,000, subject to approval. Some lenders offer loans of up to \u00a350,000, but that\u2019s normally only to existing customers, and will again be subject to the lender\u2019s assessment of your circumstances.<\/p><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/li><li class=\"luna-accordion\" data-accordion=\"accordion\">\n  <div class=\"luna-accordion__summary\">\n    <h4 class=\"luna-accordion__heading\">\n      <button class=\"luna-accordion__action collapsed\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion0000000001\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-target=\"#accordion0000000001\">\n        <span class=\"luna-accordion__title\">Should I get a consolidation loan?<\/span>\n        <svg class=\"luna-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n          <use xlink:href=\"#chevron-down\" data-accordion-icon=\"show\"><\/use>\n          <use xlink:href=\"#chevron-up\" data-accordion-icon=\"hide\" class=\"is-hidden\"><\/use>\n        <\/svg>\n      <\/button>\n    <\/h4>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"luna-accordion__details collapse\" aria-hidden=\"true\" id=\"accordion0000000001\" data-accordion=\"details\">\n    <div class=\"accordionContent\"><p>Consolidation on its own is not a priority. If you\u2019re in debt, your aim is to simply pay it off as quickly as possible at the lowest cost. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans\/debt-consolidation\">Debt consolidation loans<\/a> are often marketed as making repayments \u201cmanageable\u201d, and while this can true, you still need to aim for the cheapest debt repayment package. A debt consolidation loan will not necessarily be the most effective way to do that.<\/p><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/li><li class=\"luna-accordion\" data-accordion=\"accordion\">\n  <div class=\"luna-accordion__summary\">\n    <h4 class=\"luna-accordion__heading\">\n      <button class=\"luna-accordion__action collapsed\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion0000000002\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-target=\"#accordion0000000002\">\n        <span class=\"luna-accordion__title\">I\u2019m a non\/new resident of the UK. Can I get a personal loan?<\/span>\n        <svg class=\"luna-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n          <use xlink:href=\"#chevron-down\" data-accordion-icon=\"show\"><\/use>\n          <use xlink:href=\"#chevron-up\" data-accordion-icon=\"hide\" class=\"is-hidden\"><\/use>\n        <\/svg>\n      <\/button>\n    <\/h4>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"luna-accordion__details collapse\" aria-hidden=\"true\" id=\"accordion0000000002\" data-accordion=\"details\">\n    <div class=\"accordionContent\"><p>Lenders look at your credit history to determine how much of a risk they would be taking in offering you a loan. If you\u2019ve only recently arrived in the UK then there will be less information for a potential lender to assess. Getting credit with little or no UK credit history can be tricky. What\u2019s more, lenders may charge a higher rate of interest on any credit that they do offer you.<\/p><p>As soon as you\u2019ve found a place to live in the UK you should get yourself on the electoral roll (visit your local council\u2019s website to register) and start building a credit history. Opening a UK current account can be another step towards building a credit history \u2013 demonstrating that you can keep up direct debits and regular utility payments will help show that you are more likely to keep up repayments on a loan.<\/p><p>Remember: don\u2019t just apply for loan after loan the moment you arrive in the UK. This could actually harm your chances of securing credit \u2013 multiple rejections could be seen by a potential lender as a sign of financial difficulties.<\/p><p>If you\u2019re struggling to get approved for a personal loan, then you may wish to consider a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/credit-cards\/credit-builder-credit-cards\">credit builder credit card<\/a>. You can apply for a smaller amount of credit (typically \u00a3250-\u00a31,000) and after as little as 4 months have your credit limit reviewed.<\/p><p>The UK government also offers a Refugee Integration Loan to refugees who have been given humanitarian protection. Find out more at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/refugee-integration-loan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.gov.uk\/refugee-integration-loan<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/li><li class=\"luna-accordion\" data-accordion=\"accordion\">\n  <div class=\"luna-accordion__summary\">\n    <h4 class=\"luna-accordion__heading\">\n      <button class=\"luna-accordion__action collapsed\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion0000000003\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-target=\"#accordion0000000003\">\n        <span class=\"luna-accordion__title\">I'm self-employed. Can I get a personal loan?<\/span>\n        <svg class=\"luna-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n          <use xlink:href=\"#chevron-down\" data-accordion-icon=\"show\"><\/use>\n          <use xlink:href=\"#chevron-up\" data-accordion-icon=\"hide\" class=\"is-hidden\"><\/use>\n        <\/svg>\n      <\/button>\n    <\/h4>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"luna-accordion__details collapse\" aria-hidden=\"true\" id=\"accordion0000000003\" data-accordion=\"details\">\n    <div class=\"accordionContent\"><p>If you\u2019re self-employed and you require a personal loan, you may feel a bit let down by some new eligibility requirements which have been put in place since the financial crisis and the abolishment of \u201cself-certification loans\u201d. However, there are options available from both traditional and non-traditional lenders offering <a href=\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans\/self-employed-personal-loans\">personal loans to self-employed individuals<\/a>.<\/p><p>The main challenges when applying for a personal loan when you are self-employed are proving your income and that it\u2019s sustainable. You will likely face lots of questions, so to avoid delays it\u2019s important to be prepared. It\u2019s common for lenders to request financial statements and tax returns (HMRC SA302) for the last 2 years. Lenders will also want to see your bank statements showing the payments of income noted in your SA302 tax form.<\/p><p>If you are contracting it may be necessary to show proof that contracts have been renewed over a 1-2 year period. If you are just starting out then you will need to be able to demonstrate how employable you are, for example, your years of experience in an industry or your relevant qualifications.<\/p><p>If you can\u2019t provide the required evidence of income and sustainability then you may have to consider a non-traditional lender, who may offer more options to you, but often this will come at the cost of a higher interest rate.<\/p><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/li><li class=\"luna-accordion\" data-accordion=\"accordion\">\n  <div class=\"luna-accordion__summary\">\n    <h4 class=\"luna-accordion__heading\">\n      <button class=\"luna-accordion__action collapsed\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion0000000004\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-target=\"#accordion0000000004\">\n        <span class=\"luna-accordion__title\">I have bad credit. Can I get a personal loan?<\/span>\n        <svg class=\"luna-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n          <use xlink:href=\"#chevron-down\" data-accordion-icon=\"show\"><\/use>\n          <use xlink:href=\"#chevron-up\" data-accordion-icon=\"hide\" class=\"is-hidden\"><\/use>\n        <\/svg>\n      <\/button>\n    <\/h4>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"luna-accordion__details collapse\" aria-hidden=\"true\" id=\"accordion0000000004\" data-accordion=\"details\">\n    <div class=\"accordionContent\"><p>The good news is that there are now plenty of specialist lenders who have decided to focus on \u201cnon-standard\u201d lending, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans\/bad-credit-loans\">loans for bad credit<\/a>. The bad news is that these lenders tend to charge higher interest rates. If you have a friend or relative who would be willing to guarantee your loan (i.e. promising to step in and clear the loan if you fail to do so), then you could consider a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/guarantor-personal-loans\">guarantor loan<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/li><li class=\"luna-accordion\" data-accordion=\"accordion\">\n  <div class=\"luna-accordion__summary\">\n    <h4 class=\"luna-accordion__heading\">\n      <button class=\"luna-accordion__action collapsed\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion0000000005\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-target=\"#accordion0000000005\">\n        <span class=\"luna-accordion__title\">How can I protect myself from personal loan fraud?<\/span>\n        <svg class=\"luna-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n          <use xlink:href=\"#chevron-down\" data-accordion-icon=\"show\"><\/use>\n          <use xlink:href=\"#chevron-up\" data-accordion-icon=\"hide\" class=\"is-hidden\"><\/use>\n        <\/svg>\n      <\/button>\n    <\/h4>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"luna-accordion__details collapse\" aria-hidden=\"true\" id=\"accordion0000000005\" data-accordion=\"details\">\n    <div class=\"accordionContent\"><p>As with any online service, you do expose yourself to potential fraud if you\u2019re not being vigilant. Our experts have put together a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans\/personal-loan-scams\">guide<\/a> of our top tips on how to spot a personal loan scam.<\/p><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/li><li class=\"luna-accordion\" data-accordion=\"accordion\">\n  <div class=\"luna-accordion__summary\">\n    <h4 class=\"luna-accordion__heading\">\n      <button class=\"luna-accordion__action collapsed\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion0000000006\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-target=\"#accordion0000000006\">\n        <span class=\"luna-accordion__title\">Can I take out a personal loan to pay for a holiday?<\/span>\n        <svg class=\"luna-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n          <use xlink:href=\"#chevron-down\" data-accordion-icon=\"show\"><\/use>\n          <use xlink:href=\"#chevron-up\" data-accordion-icon=\"hide\" class=\"is-hidden\"><\/use>\n        <\/svg>\n      <\/button>\n    <\/h4>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"luna-accordion__details collapse\" aria-hidden=\"true\" id=\"accordion0000000006\" data-accordion=\"details\">\n    <div class=\"accordionContent\"><p>Yes, you can use a personal loan to finance your holiday \u2013 these are called \u201choliday loans\u201d. Holiday loans are essentially just a regular unsecured personal loan used to pay for a holiday. <\/p><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/li><li class=\"luna-accordion\" data-accordion=\"accordion\">\n  <div class=\"luna-accordion__summary\">\n    <h4 class=\"luna-accordion__heading\">\n      <button class=\"luna-accordion__action collapsed\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion0000000007\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-target=\"#accordion0000000007\">\n        <span class=\"luna-accordion__title\">Secured vs unsecured loans: Which is better?<\/span>\n        <svg class=\"luna-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n          <use xlink:href=\"#chevron-down\" data-accordion-icon=\"show\"><\/use>\n          <use xlink:href=\"#chevron-up\" data-accordion-icon=\"hide\" class=\"is-hidden\"><\/use>\n        <\/svg>\n      <\/button>\n    <\/h4>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"luna-accordion__details collapse\" aria-hidden=\"true\" id=\"accordion0000000007\" data-accordion=\"details\">\n    <div class=\"accordionContent\">We have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans\/secured-vs-unsecured-loans\">separate guide answering this question<\/a>.<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/li><\/ul><div id=\"sources\" style=\"position: relative;\"><h3 style=\"position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; padding: 0; margin: -1px; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0,0,0,0); white-space: nowrap; border: 0;\">Sources<\/h3>\n<div id=\"lazy0000000000\"><\/div>\n<script type=\"application\/json\" id=\"lazyloaded-assets-json-lazy0000000000\" class=\"lazyloaded-assets-json\">{\"critical-scripts\":[],\"scripts\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.finder.com\\\/parent-theme\\\/shortcodes\\\/article-source\\\/prod\\\/article-source.de087a0da9824e407767.js\"],\"styles\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.finder.com\\\/parent-theme\\\/shortcodes\\\/article-source\\\/prod\\\/article-source.87684078d471e76125dd.css\"]}<\/script><\/div><article class=\"luna-card luna-card--alt\"><div class=\"luna-card__block has-padding-small\">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 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/terms-of-use\" class=\"fin-text-navy\">terms of use<\/a>. 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. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables is provided by Defaqto. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.<\/div><\/article>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you&#8217;re planning a large expenditure such as a wedding or a new car, or looking to simplify existing debt, then a personal loan could help you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":195,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-nb-table-with-filters.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"tags":[3767],"class_list":["post-77835","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","tag-money-loans"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.9 (Yoast SEO v24.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Compare personal loans in the UK for May 2026 | Finder UK<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Use our personal loan finder for a fast comparison of the latest rates and fees. Calculate costs and check your eligibility with multiple UK lenders.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Compare personal loans\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Use our personal loan finder for a fast comparison of the latest rates and fees. Calculate costs and check your eligibility with multiple UK lenders.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Finder UK\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/findercomuk\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/cdn.finder.com.au\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/07\/personal_loans_application.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"700\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1583\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@findercomUK\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"14 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans\",\"name\":\"Compare personal loans in the UK for May 2026 | Finder UK\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.finder.com.au\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/07\/personal_loans_application-453x1024.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-12-19T11:22:49+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-18T14:49:27+00:00\",\"description\":\"Use our personal loan finder for a fast comparison of the latest rates and fees. Calculate costs and check your eligibility with multiple UK lenders.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans\"]}],\"reviewedBy\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/531b4649d053a94fb7388e896df73218\"},\"lastReviewed\":\"2025-06-18T14:49:27\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cdn.finder.com.au\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/07\/personal_loans_application-453x1024.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.finder.com.au\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/07\/personal_loans_application-453x1024.png\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"UK\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Personal Loans\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/\",\"name\":\"Finder UK\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Finder\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/05\/Finder-Logo-696x696-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/05\/Finder-Logo-696x696-1.png\",\"width\":1392,\"height\":1392,\"caption\":\"Finder\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/findercomuk\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/findercomUK\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/finder\/\",\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Finder_(website)\"],\"description\":\"Every month more than 2 million unique visitors turn to Finder to save money and time, and to make important life choices. We compare everything from bank accounts, personal loans, investing platforms and much more.\",\"email\":\"heythere@finder.com\",\"legalName\":\"Finder\",\"foundingDate\":\"2006-01-01\",\"numberOfEmployees\":{\"@type\":\"QuantitativeValue\",\"minValue\":\"51\",\"maxValue\":\"200\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/531b4649d053a94fb7388e896df73218\",\"name\":\"Rachel Wait\",\"description\":\"Rachel Wait is a freelance journalist and has been writing about personal finance for more than a decade, covering everything from insurance to mortgages. She has written for a range of personal finance websites and national newspapers, including The Observer, The Mail on Sunday, The Sun and the Evening Standard. Rachel is a keen baker in her spare time.\",\"jobTitle\":\"Writer\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/author\/rachelwait\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/rachelwait?lang=en\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/rachel-wait-00463013\/\",\"https:\/\/muckrack.com\/rachel-wait\"],\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\/531b4649d053a94fb7388e896df73218\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cdn.finder.com.au\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/2025\/12\/RachelWaitF1_Supplied_600x600.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.finder.com.au\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/2025\/12\/RachelWaitF1_Supplied_600x600.png\",\"caption\":\"Rachel Wait\"},\"worksFor\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Finder\"}},{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Chris Lilly\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/2bcd9231d1c1e8ed47cffe934574b9ad\"},\"headline\":\"Compare personal loans\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-12-19T11:22:49+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-18T14:49:27+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans\"},\"wordCount\":4216,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.finder.com.au\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/07\/personal_loans_application-453x1024.png\",\"inLanguage\":{\"@type\":\"Language\",\"name\":\"English\",\"alternateName\":\"en\"},\"citation\":[{\"@type\":\"CreativeWork\",\"name\":\"Moneyhelper\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.moneyhelper.org.uk\/en\/everyday-money\/credit\/personal-loans\"},{\"@type\":\"CreativeWork\",\"name\":\"Citizens Advice\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.citizensadvice.org.uk\/debt-and-money\/borrowing-money\/types-of-borrowing\/loans\/personal-loans\/\"}],\"commentCount\":0},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/2bcd9231d1c1e8ed47cffe934574b9ad\",\"name\":\"Chris Lilly\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cdn.finder.com.au\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/2025\/11\/ChrisLillyF1_Finder_600x600.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.finder.com.au\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/2025\/11\/ChrisLillyF1_Finder_600x600.png\",\"caption\":\"Chris Lilly\"},\"description\":\"Chris Lilly is Head of publishing at finder.com. He's a specialist in personal finance, from day-to-day banking to investing to borrowing, and is passionate about helping UK consumers make informed decisions about their money. In his spare time Chris likes forcing his kids to exercise more.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ChrisLillyCL\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/chris-lilly-46a15627\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/author\/chrislilly\",\"jobTitle\":\"Head of publishing\",\"knowsAbout\":[{\"@type\":\"Thing\",\"name\":\"Loans & credit cards\"},{\"@type\":\"Thing\",\"name\":\"Building credit\"},{\"@type\":\"Thing\",\"name\":\"Financial health\"},{\"@type\":\"Thing\",\"name\":\"Share trading\"}],\"worksFor\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Finder\"}}]}<\/script>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-06-18T14:49:27+00:00\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Compare personal loans in the UK for May 2026 | Finder UK","description":"Use our personal loan finder for a fast comparison of the latest rates and fees. Calculate costs and check your eligibility with multiple UK lenders.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Compare personal loans","og_description":"Use our personal loan finder for a fast comparison of the latest rates and fees. Calculate costs and check your eligibility with multiple UK lenders.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans","og_site_name":"Finder UK","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/findercomuk","og_image":[{"width":700,"height":1583,"url":"https:\/\/cdn.finder.com.au\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/07\/personal_loans_application.png","type":"image\/png"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@findercomUK","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"14 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans","url":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans","name":"Compare personal loans in the UK for May 2026 | Finder UK","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.finder.com.au\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/07\/personal_loans_application-453x1024.png","datePublished":"2017-12-19T11:22:49+00:00","dateModified":"2025-06-18T14:49:27+00:00","description":"Use our personal loan finder for a fast comparison of the latest rates and fees. Calculate costs and check your eligibility with multiple UK lenders.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans"]}],"reviewedBy":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/531b4649d053a94fb7388e896df73218"},"lastReviewed":"2025-06-18T14:49:27"},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/cdn.finder.com.au\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/07\/personal_loans_application-453x1024.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.finder.com.au\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/07\/personal_loans_application-453x1024.png"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"UK","item":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Personal Loans"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/","name":"Finder UK","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#organization","name":"Finder","url":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/05\/Finder-Logo-696x696-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/05\/Finder-Logo-696x696-1.png","width":1392,"height":1392,"caption":"Finder"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/findercomuk","https:\/\/x.com\/findercomUK","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/finder\/","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Finder_(website)"],"description":"Every month more than 2 million unique visitors turn to Finder to save money and time, and to make important life choices. We compare everything from bank accounts, personal loans, investing platforms and much more.","email":"heythere@finder.com","legalName":"Finder","foundingDate":"2006-01-01","numberOfEmployees":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","minValue":"51","maxValue":"200"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/531b4649d053a94fb7388e896df73218","name":"Rachel Wait","description":"Rachel Wait is a freelance journalist and has been writing about personal finance for more than a decade, covering everything from insurance to mortgages. She has written for a range of personal finance websites and national newspapers, including The Observer, The Mail on Sunday, The Sun and the Evening Standard. Rachel is a keen baker in her spare time.","jobTitle":"Writer","url":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/author\/rachelwait","sameAs":["https:\/\/twitter.com\/rachelwait?lang=en","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/rachel-wait-00463013\/","https:\/\/muckrack.com\/rachel-wait"],"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\/531b4649d053a94fb7388e896df73218","url":"https:\/\/cdn.finder.com.au\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/2025\/12\/RachelWaitF1_Supplied_600x600.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.finder.com.au\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/2025\/12\/RachelWaitF1_Supplied_600x600.png","caption":"Rachel Wait"},"worksFor":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#organization","name":"Finder"}},{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans"},"author":{"name":"Chris Lilly","@id":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/2bcd9231d1c1e8ed47cffe934574b9ad"},"headline":"Compare personal loans","datePublished":"2017-12-19T11:22:49+00:00","dateModified":"2025-06-18T14:49:27+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans"},"wordCount":4216,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/personal-loans#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.finder.com.au\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/07\/personal_loans_application-453x1024.png","inLanguage":{"@type":"Language","name":"English","alternateName":"en"},"citation":[{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Moneyhelper","url":"https:\/\/www.moneyhelper.org.uk\/en\/everyday-money\/credit\/personal-loans"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Citizens Advice","url":"https:\/\/www.citizensadvice.org.uk\/debt-and-money\/borrowing-money\/types-of-borrowing\/loans\/personal-loans\/"}],"commentCount":0},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/2bcd9231d1c1e8ed47cffe934574b9ad","name":"Chris Lilly","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/cdn.finder.com.au\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/2025\/11\/ChrisLillyF1_Finder_600x600.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.finder.com.au\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/2025\/11\/ChrisLillyF1_Finder_600x600.png","caption":"Chris Lilly"},"description":"Chris Lilly is Head of publishing at finder.com. He's a specialist in personal finance, from day-to-day banking to investing to borrowing, and is passionate about helping UK consumers make informed decisions about their money. In his spare time Chris likes forcing his kids to exercise more.","sameAs":["https:\/\/twitter.com\/ChrisLillyCL","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/chris-lilly-46a15627\/"],"url":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/author\/chrislilly","jobTitle":"Head of publishing","knowsAbout":[{"@type":"Thing","name":"Loans & credit cards"},{"@type":"Thing","name":"Building credit"},{"@type":"Thing","name":"Financial health"},{"@type":"Thing","name":"Share trading"}],"worksFor":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/#organization","name":"Finder"}}]},"article_modified_time":"2025-06-18T14:49:27+00:00"},"custom_fields":{"_wp_page_template":["page-nb-table-with-filters.php"],"show_author_box":["yes"],"_content_type":["niche-content\/comparison\/niche-homepage"],"_masthead_variant":["{\"id\":\"beta-widget\",\"showFeaturedImage\":false,\"presetId\":\"shortcode\",\"shouldUsePrimaryCTAFieldName\":false,\"shouldUseSecondaryCTAFieldName\":false,\"primaryCTA\":null,\"secondaryCTA\":null,\"widgetShortcode\":\"[nb:product niche_code=\\\"UKFPL\\\" id=\\\"a3d6b6de-ba43-408e-bc23-94b7de64dc3b\\\" decorator=\\\"GLOBAL.PRODUCT.UK_MASTHEAD_WHITE_LABEL_WIDGET\\\" TITLE=\\\"See loans you're likely to get\\\" BULLETONE=\\\"Check your chances of being accepted before you apply\\\" BULLETTWO=\\\"It's simple, fast and free\\\" BULLETTHREE=\\\"It won't affect your credit score\\\" CTA=\\\"Check eligibility\\\"]\",\"widgetHeading\":\"\",\"widgetStats\":\"\",\"hasPrioritizedWidget\":false,\"hasMaximizedWidget\":false,\"shouldUseOverrideCTALabel\":false,\"overrideCTA\":null,\"cleanTopPicks\":\"\",\"tilesMenuId\":\"\"}"],"_masthead_subheading":["{\"text\":\"Find competitive loan rates and fast-turnaround times.\"}"]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/77835"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/195"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=77835"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/77835\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":569698,"href":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/77835\/revisions\/569698"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=77835"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=77835"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}