HSBC UK: products, terms and eligibility

HSBC UK is a UK provider of commercial mortgages and bank lending. The legal entity named on its site is HSBC UK Bank plc, company number 09928412. It is based in Birmingham. It is part of HSBC Holdings plc.

Its website terms say the site is owned by HSBC UK Bank plc, which is owned by HSBC Holdings plc, and that HSBC UK Bank plc is incorporated in England and Wales (company number 09928412) with its registered office at 1 Centenary Square, Birmingham. Its broker page says HSBC has over 160 years of experience and a presence in more than 50 markets. It describes the Growth Guarantee Scheme Loan as the successor to the Recovery Loan Scheme.

In its own words on scale:

• Says it has a £15bn lending fund for small businesses (figure on its site in October 2026).

Everything on this page comes from what HSBC UK publishes itself. We show the date we last checked it, and we do not rate or rank lenders.

HSBC UK publishes 5 products for UK businesses. The table above gives the amounts and terms as it states them.

• Small Business Loan: Fixed monthly repayments by Direct Debit.
• Commercial Business Loan: Fixed monthly repayments; capital repayment holidays up to 24 months, subject to status.
• Flexible Business Loan: Monthly or quarterly; capital repayment holidays up to 24 months, subject to status.
• Commercial Mortgage: Monthly or quarterly; capital repayment holidays up to 24 months, subject to status.
• Business Overdraft: Revolving; repayable on demand.

Small Business Loan

£1,000 to £25,000 over 12 months to 10 years at a fixed rate, for working capital, stock and asset purchases. No arrangement fee; repayments by Direct Debit. At application you can defer the first repayment by 3 or 6 months or take a January repayment holiday each year, with interest charged throughout. It says there are no charges for additional repayments.

Commercial Business Loan

Fixed-rate loans of £25,001 to £300,000 over 12 months to 10 years for working capital, stock and asset purchases. No Relationship Manager or minimum turnover is needed; it cannot be used for property or land purchase or development.

Flexible Business Loan

From £25,001 for limited companies, sole traders and partnerships, on a fixed rate (maximum £10m, fixed period up to 10 years) or variable rate tracking Bank of England Base Rate or a reference rate such as SONIA (maximum £25m). Repayment over 12 months to 20 years, monthly or quarterly. Arrangement fees are negotiated case by case and prepayment fees may apply.

Invoice Discounting

Advances up to 95% of invoice value against a sales ledger, with the business keeping its own credit control and optional Credit Protection against bad debts. Available in sterling, euro, US dollars and other major currencies, for UK and export sales, including to businesses that bank elsewhere.

HSBC UK says its finance is used for:

• Working capital
• Stock purchase
• Asset and equipment purchase
• Business expansion
• Buying or refinancing business premises
• Management buy-outs and buy-ins

Sectors and business types it says it funds:

• Agriculture
• Healthcare
• International trade
• Commodities (energy, metals, soft commodities)

HSBC UK publishes these criteria. Meeting them does not mean an application will be accepted: every lender makes its own decision.

• Business Overdraft is available to HSBC Business Current Account customers.
• Loans don’t require an HSBC Business Current Account unless a debenture or fixed charge over book and other debts is required.
• Commercial Mortgage is for premises for your own business use; property investment and development lending needs trading turnover above £15 million.
• Commercial Business Loan has no minimum turnover and is available in GBP only.
• Invoice Discounting suits businesses selling to other businesses on credit terms with actual or projected turnover of £1m+.
• Flexible Business Loans support a total lending need above £100k or an overall term over 10 years.
• Lending is subject to credit status.

HSBC UK describes its process like this:

1. Check your eligibility online.
2. Apply through Business Internet Banking (as Primary User) or by phone if you’re new to HSBC.
3. For Flexible Business Loans and larger lending, speak to your Relationship Manager.
4. Provide information on your business, purpose, amount, term and how you’ll repay.
5. Provide supporting information such as security details, forecasts and accounts if asked.
6. Brokers can apply to join its Broker Panel.

Information it says it asks for:

• Details of you and your business, including skills and experience
• Your personal or business investment in the business
• Purpose, amount and term of the borrowing and how you plan to repay it
• Details of security or assets offered
• Other business interests of you or your management team
• Cash flow forecast and business plan
• Management accounts and historic accounts (not applicable to start-ups)

Every application is subject to status and the lender’s own criteria at the time.

A commercial mortgage is a long-term loan secured on business premises or investment property. Lenders look at the property’s value, the deposit, and whether the business’s profits or the rent comfortably cover the repayments.

Banks often lend across several products, from overdrafts to asset finance, and some can offer facilities under government schemes. See government-backed business loans for how those work.

Our guide to commercial mortgages and bank lending explains the costs, who it suits and how to compare offers.

Points HSBC UK publishes that are worth knowing:

• Says security may be required, assessed case by case, with an administration fee payable if taken.
• Commercial Mortgages need a first legal charge over the premises being bought or refinanced.
• Commercial Business Loan cannot support property or land development or purchases, or refinance lending used to buy property or land.
• Asset Finance is provided by HSBC Equipment Finance (UK) Ltd.
• Non-sterling facilities and those linked to rates such as SONIA are only for businesses with turnover of £25m or above.

Security and guarantees

Security may be required on loans and overdrafts, considered case by case; an administration fee is payable if security is taken. Commercial Mortgages require a first legal charge over the premises; the property may be repossessed if repayments are not kept up. Overdrafts are repayable on demand.

HSBC UK’s site states: “HSBC UK Bank plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.”

You can check any firm’s permissions on the FCA’s Financial Services Register, listed in the sources below, before you sign anything.

Protections differ by borrower type and loan size. Most lending to limited companies is not regulated consumer credit, so read the agreement and ask the lender what applies to you.

Other providers of commercial mortgages and bank lending with profiles here include Lloyds Bank, Metro Bank and NatWest. Each profile uses that lender’s own published terms.

The full list, grouped by product type, is in our directory of UK business lenders.

Capzy is a credit broker, not a lender, and gets paid by the lender. One application lets your business compare options across lenders, so you can weigh this kind of facility against the alternatives. You can check your funding options with a soft search that does not affect your credit score. A full application to a lender may involve a hard search, and any offer is subject to status and lender criteria.