How long does a lending decision take?

Automated versus manual underwriting

Many lenders use automated decisioning for smaller, lower-risk applications. Checks are run against credit bureaux, Companies House and open banking data within minutes, and a decision is generated algorithmically. These decisions can arrive the same day as the application, sometimes within the hour.

Manual underwriting — where a human credit analyst reviews the case — takes longer but allows nuance: a business with unusual financials may receive a positive decision through manual review that would be declined automatically.

What triggers a credit committee referral?

• Loan amount above the underwriter's individual authority limit
• Applicant or group with a complex structure (holding companies, multiple directors)
• Adverse credit history requiring senior sign-off
• Security that requires specialist valuation
• Sector or purpose outside the lender's standard appetite

Credit committee meetings may be weekly or bi-weekly at some lenders, which can add days to the timeline if your case misses the next sitting.

How to avoid unnecessary delays

The most common cause of a slow decision is missing or incomplete information rather than the lender's process itself. Respond to any underwriter queries on the same day they are raised and nominate a single contact within your business to liaise. See the document checklist to ensure your pack is complete at submission.

Decision versus completion

A credit decision and a formal completion are not the same thing. A lender may issue a credit-approved term sheet quickly but require further legal steps — particularly for secured facilities — before funds can be released. See when money is paid out for the distinction and typical timescales.