Loans for Fair Credit

If you need a loan to cover an emergency cost but your credit score is less than perfect, you might be unsure about your chances of being approved. But some lenders can offer loans for fair credit in some circumstances – including Dot Dot Loans.

You can apply online to borrow between £100 and £1,000 with no guarantor or security. We’ll look at your income and outgoings too, so your credit score isn’t the be-all and end-all. If we approve your application, you could receive your fair credit score loan the same day, subject to affordability.

Read more about personal loans for fair credit below and how to apply with Dot Dot Loans.

What is fair credit?

Having a ‘fair’ credit rating means that your credit score could be better but it also could be worse. Your credit report is likely to show some areas for improvement – perhaps you missed a payment recently – as well as at least some evidence of your ability to handle credit capably.

There is no single definition of fair credit as the UK’s three Credit Reference Agencies all use different scales:

• Experian provides scores between 0-999, with 721-880 considered fair
• Equifax provides scores between 0-1,000, with 439-530 considered fair
• TransUnion provides scores between 0-710, with 566-603 considered fair

Knowing your score will help you judge whether loans for people with fair credit are the right option for you. Read how to check your credit score.

How does your credit score affect applying for loans?

Your credit score is one of the main factors that lenders use to decide whether they can approve you for a loan. It can also impact how much money you can borrow and what interest rate will be added on top.

Having a good credit score shows that you’ve handled credit well in the past and are likely to do so again in the future. Poor credit scores, on the other hand, suggest you’ve mismanaged money or perhaps not borrowed at all, so lenders will have less confidence in approving you for a loan.

You still have options with a fair score, however. Some lenders are willing to offer fair credit score loans in the UK, including us. We carry out affordability checks that help us judge whether you can realistically manage loan repayments, even with a fair or bad credit score.

What to consider when researching loans for fair credit

It’s important to think carefully about borrowing money, regardless of your credit rating. Here are five things to weigh up when applying for a personal loan with a fair credit score:

• Eligibility: Do you qualify to apply? Different lenders have different criteria around things like credit score, income and age. You can read ours below under ‘Can I get a loan with fair credit?’
• Loan amounts: How much do you need to borrow and what for? We offer loans for emergency costs, like boiler or car repairs, for example.
• Repayment terms: How quickly will you pay the loan back? Loan terms usually depend on how much you borrow and can range from a few months to several years.
• Overall cost: This factor is influenced by the loan amount, the interest rate and the length of your repayment term. Some lenders might charge extra fees, but we don’t.
• Turnaround time: How long does the process take? We provide quick personal loans for fair credit with online application and 24/7 funding, subject to affordability.

Are there different types of loans for fair credit in the UK?

You may not have all the same loan options that would be available to you if your credit rating were strong. But there could still be lots to choose from to suit your situation, including:

• Unsecured loans, which aren’t secured against any assets such as property
• Secured loans, which are typically backed up by your property as a homeowner
• Guarantor loans, which are co-signed by a friend or relative

We offer unsecured personal loans for fair credit history with no guarantor. While we still carry out credit and affordability checks to make sure our loans are affordable, this means you don’t have to risk your assets or struggle to find a guarantor.

What size loan can I get with fair credit?

Having an imperfect credit score can sometimes limit the size of loan that you can apply for. But with Dot Dot Loans, you can apply to borrow between £100 and £1,000, our full range of loan amounts, subject to affordability.

A £1,000 personal loan with fair credit could be suitable for larger unexpected costs, while £100 might be enough for a minor emergency.

How do repayments work with personal loans for fair credit?

You can spread the cost of our online personal loans for fair credit in fixed monthly instalments over 3-9 months, depending on how much you borrow.

Our short-term loans of £100 to £1,000 come with terms of 3-9 months, use our short-term loan calculator to see what repayment terms are available for your loan amount.

We collect repayments automatically via Direct Debit on an agreed date. If approved, yours will be the same every month, so you don’t need to worry about variable interest.

We don’t charge late payment fees but missed payments can harm your credit score. If you’re worried about falling behind, contact our friendly team as soon as possible. We’ll do what we can to set up a new repayment plan.

Can I get a loan with fair credit?

You can apply for one of our personal loans with a fair credit rating if:

• You're aged 18+
• You have a UK address
• You’re currently working or receive benefits
• You have a valid email address and mobile phone number
• You have bank account and debit card details

As a responsible lender, we’ll carry out credit and affordability checks before making our decision. This doesn’t mean you need a perfect credit score to apply though.

These checks help make sure that your repayments will be manageable, on top of your current outgoings, over the full term you apply for.

How do credit searches work with loans for fair credit?

There are two types of credit checks that lenders can carry out – soft and hard. Soft checks aren’t visible to other lenders, whereas hard checks are. Having a lot of hard checks on your credit report in a short amount of time can suggest that you’re struggling with your finances and might make it harder to get approved.

As a responsible lender, we carry out credit and affordability checks on everyone who applies. But our initial credit search will only be a soft one and won’t show up on your credit report. If we go on to make a fair credit loan offer and you accept it, only then will we carry out a hard search.

Read more about soft and hard credit checks.

Why choose us as your personal loan lender for fair credit?

Borrowing money for emergencies can be stressful - especially if you’re worried that your credit score might hold you back. But we’ll never make a decision based on your credit score alone as we review income and outgoings too. Here’s why you can feel confident in applying with Dot Dot Loans:

• Quick: You could apply online in minutes, get a quick decision then receive your loan the same day, subject to affordability.
• Transparent: The amount we agree upfront is the amount you’ll repay. We’ll never charge extra fees or interest.
• Flexible: Borrow between £100 and £1,000 and spread the repayments over 3-9 months, depending on how much you borrow.
• Responsible: We carry out credit and affordability checks for reassurance that your loan is manageable. We’ll always speak to you clearly too.
• Friendly: If you have a question or want to speak to someone about your loan, our UK-based customer service team will be happy to help.
• Recommended: Thousands of customers have rated us ‘Excellent’ on the independent review site Trustpilot.

We’re a direct personal loan lender for fair credit too, so you’ll always know exactly who you’re dealing with.

How to apply for a loan with fair credit

If an emergency crops up and you need a quick personal loan with a fair credit rating, we could help (subject to affordability).

Use our short-term loan calculator to get started online. You can choose how much you want to borrow then see what your monthly repayments and overall cost will be.

Once you’re happy with how everything looks, move on to our short application form. We always give a quick initial decision and fund approved loans 24/7.

Remember: we look at more than just your credit score when reviewing your application. That means we can offer loans for fair credit rating to UK customers in some circumstances.

Check our FAQs or feel free to contact our friendly team if you have any questions.