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Business funding in four easy steps
Apply online in minutes
Tell us about your business using our simple online form.
Inhouse check
We approve you based on your business performance. Our soft search does not impact your credit score.
Decision in two days
You’ll get a funding offer in less than 48 hours, if your application is approved.
Receive your funds
Receive the money within 2 days of your offer being funded.
The ethical business funding alternative
We believe small business owners should be supported as they grow firms that serve the wider community. Small businesses are the powerhouse of the UK economy. They provide jobs, give financial security and deliver valuable services. Our alternative business funding solution is funded through value-based investment, to ensure a positive contribution to communities and the world.
What is alternative business funding?
Growing your business faster means you need more working capital. A traditional loan may seem the obvious answer, but many different options are now available for business owners. These alternative business funding products can often be arranged quickly, many are unsecured, and they can be extremely flexible.
Our business funding alternative is helping many firms get the finance they need, in a way that aligns with their ethics and values.
Benefits of alternative business funding
Access funding of between £50,000 and £200,000 for working capital purposes. Fast, flexible alternative business finance, typically available within seven working days of application approval.
How alternative business funding helps you
Competitive, unsecured and interest-free business finance for your business. Access up to £200,000 in just a few days.
Unsecured finance
Because you won't be asked to put up any of your assets as collateral, you get the benefit of the business finance while retaining the flexibility of managing your assets as you see fit.
It's easy to apply
The application process has been stripped back to ensure we ask only for what we absolutely need. You don't want to waste time giving us information that's not immediately relevant.
Get funded fast
The cash will arrive in your account within two days of your offer being fully funded. We've eliminated every hurdle we can, so you have access to the funding faster.
Control stays with you
You can apply for up to £200,000 in business funding for working capital purposes, which gives you considerable control over how you use it. It's your business - you know how best to apply it.
Our alternative business funding is different from an unsecured loan
Our business finance is interest-free
There are no interest payments on our alternative business funding. Instead, we do charge a rate (i.e. profit rate) that’s set in advance and a processing fee, which is agreed with you at the start.
Ethical finance solution
We're committed to providing socially responsible finance for small and medium-sized businesses across the UK. We work with businesses that make a positive contribution to society, in line with our values.
Our customers trust us
How our customers benefit from our alternative business funding BN
It was great working with Qardus for a second time to raise this working capital facility. The additional funding will help support stock control to service the high demand we are currently experiencing. Thank you for making the process from end to end seamless and straightforward, we highly appreciate it.
Shahid Khan, Director, One Dose Limited
Grow with alternative business funding
Make the most of our business finance solutions to help your firm thrive.
Fund your growth plans
With the right business finance in place, it can be easier to expand. Funding protects cashflow and allows investment. It helps you to plan for your business and to make proactive decisions.
Reach into new markets
Exploring new opportunities, such as selling new products or extending the geographical reach of your business, requires investment. Alternative business funding gives you new ways to raise the capital required.
Take on new staff
Your employees are vital to the success of your small business. Having the right people in the right place, at the right time, can make a massive difference. You want the finance to hire the best people.
Secure competitive advantage
Establishing, protecting and growing your share of the market requires ongoing business funding. Alternative finance can give you the funds you need to react quickly to changing market conditions.
Funding FAQs
What fees does Qardus charge?
We charge an arrangement fee of up to 8% that is paid by the small business seeking financing on drawdown of the funds. In practice, it will be retained from the advance.
Are there any additional costs that could apply to your financing facility?
An administration fee of 15% of arrears is applied to any repayments that remain unpaid after 3 business days from their due date.
Who can apply for a financing facility?
All UK registered business can apply for financing on the Qardus platform. Businesses must be:- Limited Liability Company with UK registered shareholders
- Minimum of 3 years trading history (Start-ups and sole traders are not eligible)
- Profitable and stable cash flows
- No outstanding CCJ's
As Qardus is a Sharia-compliant platform, businesses with their main activities in the following sectors are excluded:- Advertising if:
- Advertisers of pork, alcohol, gambling, tobacco and all other non-Islamic activities
- Advertising means and modes which contravene the tenets of Islam
- Media & Entertainment (Exceptions that are allowed on the platform include: News Channels, Newspapers, Sports Channels, Children’s Channels, Educational Channels):
- Producers, distributors and broadcasters of music, movies, television shows and musical radio shows
- Cinema operators
- Alcohol
- Cloning
- Financials, except the following that are allowed:
- Islamic Banks
- Islamic Financial Institutions
- Islamic Insurance Companies
- Gambling
- Pork
- Pornography
- Tobacco
- Trading of gold and silver as cash on deferred basis
How quickly can my business get financing?
Your application to obtain funding on the Qardus platform takes minutes to complete. Once this is done, our credit assessment team will review your complete application and get back to you within 48 hours (2 working days).If your application is approved, and after you have signed your financing agreement, your financing request will automatically be listed on the marketplace so that registered Qardus investors can review it and fund your business.
Your financing facility can fund over a period of up to 14 days, although most financing arrangements fund in just a few days. As soon as it's 100% funded your listing will close and we will send you a confirmation email. As long as your financing facility is fully funded before 3pm on any working day, we will transfer the funds into your designated business bank account the same day. (NB: Funds can take up to 3 days to reach your account).What rate will my business pay?
The total cost of your financing facility includes a flat profit rate and Qardus fees. The rate (i.e. profit rate based on the commodity murabaha agreement) your business pays back is determined by a number of factors, including the risk band your financing facility is given during our credit assessment process, and the length of repayment term. The rate is applied to the outstanding principal at the outset to calculate the amount due on each repayment date.
Our rates start from around 1.25% per month but can vary depending on the risk profile of the business.What types of financing can a business get on the Qardus platform?
Qardus currently provides the following type of financing:
- Small business (unsecured) financing facility.
- From £50,000 to £200,000 for working capital purposes.
- Tenors from 6 months to 36 months.
- Personal Guarantees (PGs) will be required by the shareholder(s).
Secured vs. Unsecured business financing
Unsecured business financing typically requires a personal guarantee from the shareholder(s). This is a common practice for this sort of agreement in the UK.
Unlike a secured financing agreement, an unsecured facility does not obligate the business receiving the financing to give up collateral (business assets) if the business defaults on payment.
The financing provider may still be able to take your collateral, but not without a court’s permission. It is typical for non-Sharia-compliant businesses to charge a higher interest rate for unsecured loans; whereas secured loans have lower interest rates.