Can I get a loan without a credit check?

What is a credit check?

A credit check is the process in which a lender examines your borrowing history. They don’t require your permission but they must have a specific reason, for instance when you apply for a loan with them. When carrying out a credit check, the lender will look at your credit report. This is like your financial CV, it has a history of all of your financial interactions. On this report you’ll have a score, usually a number between 1 - 1000, there is no set ‘good’ score, but general rule of thumb is the higher your score is the more trustworthy of a borrower you are. In order to get a loan without a credit check, you’ll likely have to borrow with very unfavourable terms, so it’s vital to compare loans before making any decisions. Even if you have poor credit, you’ll have more options if you are willing to get a credit check. 

Types of no credit check loan

Payday loans

Whilst most lenders will require a full credit check, it may be possible to borrow money with a much more basic credit check. With this check, they simply make sure you are not a fraudulent borrower or currently bankrupt. This sort of borrowing will come in the form of a ‘payday loan’. A payday loan is a form of short-term borrowing usually designed to help with bills before payday. These loans are attractive because they are quick, with money being transferred straight into your account, and the online application process is easy to follow. However, they do come with significant risks. 

The disadvantages of payday loans

Although they may seem appealing, payday loans are a very dangerous way of borrowing money. This is because even though the initial interest may not be very high, if you were to miss any monthly payments then the roll-over interest can build up very quickly. So quickly in fact that most of the people who take out payday loans are doing so in order to pay off a previous payday loan. 

Guarantor loans

It’s possible, although unlikely, that if you take out a guarantor loan you’ll not be asked for a credit check. Guarantor loans are a form of personal loan in which a friend or family member with a good financial history acts as insurance meaning they are liable for your debt should you not be able to pay it back. 

Bad credit alternatives

Ultimately, if you have poor credit you will still need some form of credit check. Although this does not mean all hope is lost! There are still some options:

Secured loans

These are typically loans of large sums of money and are the best option for someone with poor credit history if you have assets. Essentially a secured loan ‘secures’ your borrowing by putting up a financial asset (such as your house or car) as collateral in case you can’t pay the loan back. This will definitely give you the best loan repayment terms, but it comes with a lot of risk as the lender has the ability to repossess your asset if you can’t keep up with the repayments. So again, it’s important to compare your loan options. 

How do I build up my credit?

As well as comparing no credit check loans, you should begin to build up your credit score so it will be easier to borrow in the future. The first and best thing you can do is pay off all of the debts you have accumulated. If you have a credit history of paying your debts quickly and regularly it shows to lenders that you are a trustworthy person to lend to. It’s likely that if you have not borrowed much in the past you will have a poor credit score because lenders won't know how you will act when you take out a loan.