Sometimes, yes. Invoice finance is repaid when your customers pay their invoices, so lenders look mainly at who your customers are and how reliably they pay. Most lenders still check the business and its directors, though, so a CCJ or poor personal credit can mean a smaller advance, a higher fee or a request for a personal guarantee. We have not found a lender that publishes a policy on CCJs, so ask each one directly. Market Invoice compares the UK providers that fit this need, and you can get 3 free quotes through our introduction partner, a UK invoice finance provider.
Expect to be asked to explain any CCJ or default, and have evidence that it is satisfied or being paid; strong customers help your case but don't remove the credit check. More detail + scope
This page covers
Invoice finance for businesses with bad credit or CCJs: what lenders check, how to prepare, and lenders to compare
Not covered here
Credit repair advice, other lending products, specific CCJ legal guidance
Lenders to compare
| Lender | Published minimum turnover | Paid up front | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ultimate Finance | None published | Up to 95% | ultimatefinance.co.uk |
| Bibby Financial Services | None published | Up to 85% | bibbyfinancialservices.com |
| Time Finance | None published | Up to 90% | timefinance.com |
| IGF (Independent Growth Finance) | £5m (larger businesses) | Up to 90% (receivables); stock up to 85%, plant up to 75% | igfgroup.com |
Figures as published on each lender's own website, checked 14 October 2026. None of these lenders publishes its fees.
Ultimate Finance's invoice finance page says you won't need to show years of accounts, but says nothing about credit history (read 14 Oct 2026). Treat this list as lenders to ask, not lenders that have said yes.
How to improve your chances
- Lead with your customers: who they are, how long they have bought from you and how quickly they pay.
- Pay off any CCJs you can before you apply, and have proof of payment ready.
- Write a short, plain explanation of what went wrong and what has changed.
- Ask each lender whether it will want a personal guarantee, and for how much.
- Get more than one quote, because lenders weigh the same history differently.
Why your customers matter most
A bank loan is repaid by you, so the bank looks hard at your credit. Invoice finance is repaid by your customers paying their invoices, so the lender's first question is whether they will pay. That is why a business with a weak credit record but reliable customers can still get a facility. The lender also needs to trust that the invoices are real and that the business will keep trading, which is why it checks you as well.
Founder & Managing Director, Muswell Rose, founder and PSC of Best Business Loans Ltd
Adam is the founder and managing director of Muswell Rose and a founder of Best Business Loans Ltd, the company behind Market Invoice. He spent over three years as managing director of Penny, a UK invoice finance business, and his career runs through insurance, mortgages, commercial finance and fintech lending. He writes the Market Invoice library.
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