Royal Bank of Scotland: products, terms and eligibility

Royal Bank of Scotland is a UK provider of commercial mortgages and bank lending. The legal entity named on its site is The Royal Bank of Scotland plc, company number SC083026. It is based in Edinburgh. It is part of NatWest Group.

Its footer names The Royal Bank of Scotland plc, registered in Scotland (No. SC083026) with its registered office at 36 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, Financial Services Firm Reference Number 114724. It says Royal Bank of Scotland Social & Community Capital is a trading name of NatWest Social & Community Capital, a charity funded and supported by the bank to lend to social enterprises and community businesses.

In its own words on scale:

• Says it has 18 Broker Development Managers covering a range of sectors (broker page, October 2026).
• Says it assisted over 12,000 businesses looking for support in 2022 (broker page, October 2026).

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

Royal Bank of Scotland publishes 5 products for UK businesses. The table above gives the amounts and terms as it states them.

• Small Business Loan: Fixed monthly repayments (fixed interest rate).
• Fixed and Variable Rate Loans: Monthly; capital repayment holiday available, subject to approval.
• Commercial Mortgage: Capital & Interest or Straight Line repayment profiles.
• Business Overdraft: Revolving; no set minimum monthly repayment.
• Invoice Finance (Invoice Discounting and Asset-Based Lending): Revolving facility.

Small Business Loan

An unsecured, fixed-rate loan of £1,000 to £100,000 over 1 to 7 years, for small to medium businesses. It says there are no set-up, early repayment or early closure fees. Customers can get a quote using Digital Banking details; non-customers can apply online and are contacted about next steps.

Fixed and Variable Rate Loans

Loans from £25,001, up to £10m on a fixed rate (fixed terms of 3, 5, 7, 10 or 15 years) or with no upper limit on a variable rate linked to the Royal Bank of Scotland base rate, over up to 25 years. Security may be required.

Commercial Mortgage

A loan secured against commercial property from £25,001 over 1 to 25 years, fixed or variable, with Capital & Interest or Straight Line repayment and a capital repayment holiday available subject to approval. As a guideline 25% of the property value is typically required as a deposit.

Real Estate Finance

Funding from £50,000 upwards over up to 20 years for residential development for sale, residential investment let to third parties, or commercial premises leased to businesses.

Social and Community Capital

Loans of £30,000 to £500,000 at a fixed rate for charities and social enterprises that don’t qualify for mainstream loans, with flexible terms and capital repayment holidays available.

Royal Bank of Scotland says its finance is used for:

• Bigger projects and business growth
• Buying commercial premises
• Property development and investment
• Short-term cash flow and unexpected costs
• Releasing cash tied up in invoices or assets
• Financing vehicles and specialist equipment

Sectors and business types it says it funds:

• Charities and social enterprises

Royal Bank of Scotland publishes these criteria. Meeting them does not mean an application will be accepted: every lender makes its own decision.

• Lending is for business use only and for over 18s, subject to status.
• Invoice Discounting eligibility starts at £300k turnover.
• Asset-Based Lending eligibility starts at £6.5m turnover.
• Business Overdraft is for existing RBS customers.
• Non-customers can still apply online for a Small Business Loan.

Royal Bank of Scotland describes its process like this:

1. Check possible loan and repayment amounts with its calculator.
2. Apply online, confirming business income, assets and address history.
3. If approved, funds are paid into your account.
4. For larger loans and commercial mortgages, call its dedicated team or your Relationship Manager.
5. Brokers on its Broker Panel can request quotes through its Broker Portal.

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 Royal Bank of Scotland publishes that are worth knowing:

• Says a personal, director or member’s guarantee may be required on its Small Business Loan.
• Says there are no early repayment fees on its Small Business Loan, Fixed and Variable Rate Loans and Commercial Mortgage (conditions apply).
• Invoice financing is provided by RBS Invoice Finance Limited; asset finance by Lombard and contract hire by Lombard Vehicle Solutions.
• Overdrafts above £50,000 and larger loans go through its lending team rather than online.

Security and guarantees

Small Business Loans and online overdrafts up to £50,000 are unsecured. A personal, director or member’s guarantee may be required. Fixed and variable rate loans, commercial mortgages and real estate finance may require security, which may be repossessed if repayments are not kept up.

Royal Bank of Scotland’s site states: “Financial Services Firm Reference Number: 114724. 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 Recognise Bank, Redwood Bank and Santander UK. 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.