Nucleus Commercial Finance Limited is a UK-based alternative lender established in 2011, offering secured and unsecured funding solutions designed for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). It is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under FRN 723722. Nucleus provides a broad range of finance products from £10,000 to £50 million, combining specialist underwriting with proprietary technology for quick decision-making and flexible structuring. This approach suits established UK businesses needing alternatives to traditional bank lending. For a wider view of such options, see alternative finance loans and the overview of business loans.
Key Features of Nucleus Commercial Finance
Nucleus incorporates technology and tailored product offerings to enhance the borrowing experience and meet sector-specific needs.
- ‘myNucleus’ online portal for loan applications, facility monitoring, and drawdowns; see alternative finance loans.
- Open-banking and cloud-accounting integrations enable real-time affordability checks, helping with quick decisions; learn more about business loans.
- Same-day funding is available on selected products after documentation is completed; see details at unsecured business loans.
- Experienced UK-based support teams including dedicated relationship managers.
- Combines automated scoring with human credit expertise, suitable for complex requirements; review the secured loans process.
Funding Eligibility Requirements
You may qualify for funding if your business meets trading and turnover requirements, usually 12 to 24 months of trading history, depending on the product. Eligibility typically requires a UK-registered limited company or LLP operating within England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland. Certain sectors, such as arms or gambling, are excluded. Personal and business creditworthiness, as well as satisfactory cash flow, are assessed using open-banking data. To explore eligibility in detail, see business loan eligibility requirements and methods for how to qualify for a business loan in the UK. Tools such as the eligibility checker may also provide guidance.
Loan Options Available from Nucleus Commercial Finance
The lender offers a range of loan types including term loans, unsecured loans, revolving credit, invoice finance, asset finance, and property finance to address various SME funding needs.
- Business Loans (Secured/Unsecured): Amounts from £25,000 to £2,000,000 unsecured, and up to £50,000,000 secured. Terms range 6 months to 6 years (unsecured) or up to 7 years (secured) at indicative rates of 8.0% to 18.0% APR fixed. More information is available under business loans and term loans.
- Cash Flow Finance: Unsecured loans from £10,000 to £150,000 with 3 to 36 months terms. Interest rates range roughly 7.5% to 19% APR monthly. Designed for working capital gaps, see unsecured working capital loan.
- FlexiPay (Buy-Now-Pay-Later): Revolving limits from £1,000 to £300,000 with repayments over 3 months. Monthly flat fees equate to higher APR if annualised. Details covered in revolving credit loans.
- Invoice Finance (Confidential Invoice Discounting): Facilities range from £50,000 to £50 million, advances up to 90% of invoice value. Rolling 12-month facilities with fees and interest adding to costs. See invoice financing.
- Asset Finance: Funding between £25,000 and £5,000,000 over 1 to 5 years, rates 4.0% to 12.0% APR depending on assets. More on asset finance.
- Property Finance (Bridging and Development Exit Loans): Loans from £250,000 to £20 million with 3 to 36 month terms, rates 0.60% to 1.20% monthly, see bridging loans and commercial mortgages.
- Merchant Cash Advance: £5,000 to £150,000 linked to card sales with factor rates 1.15 to 1.35. Flexible repayments suit businesses with substantial card transactions; see mca loans.
- Education Finance Facility: £250,000 to £5,000,000 over up to 3 years for independent schools, interest 6.0% to 12.0% APR. Tailored to educational sector needs.
- Recovery Loan Scheme Business Loans: £25,001 to £2,000,000 with government-backed guarantees for COVID-impacted firms, see alternative finance loans for government schemes.
How to Apply for Finance with Nucleus
Applications are primarily online, with electronic signature and document upload. The process typically yields automated pre-approval within minutes for smaller loans and full decisions within 24 hours for loans under £150,000.
- Submit online application via digital portal or broker; see application form.
- Provide recent filed accounts, 6-12 months of bank statements (via open banking or PDF), and identity proof for directors.
- Undergo credit assessment and, for secured loans, valuation and legal documentation.
- Sign loan agreements electronically; post-approval funding can be same day for unsecured loans or 3 to 14 days for secured loans.
Funding Agent's view on Nucleus Commercial Finance
Nucleus Commercial Finance is a versatile non-bank lender that offers a wide range of funding products, suitable for established SMEs in the UK. Its technology-driven underwriting promotes quick decisions combined with flexibility for complex cases. Businesses seeking alternatives to traditional banks may find the lender’s broad offering and digital tools beneficial. For those assessing options or eligibility, refer to business loans, the tools section.



