The high-street giant offers a wide range of unsecured and secured business finance products to cater to businesses of all shapes and sizes. Loans amounts from £25,001 to £10,000,000 for 3 to 300 months.
NatWest Bank was formed in 1968 after the merger of National Provincial Bank and Westminster Bank. The bank was acquired by The Royal Bank of Scotland Group in March 2000 in a deal that was worth £21 billion.
The bank offers a wide range of both personal and business financial products, including a number of business loans, as we explain below.
See how much it'll cost you to take out a NatWest loan
Use the fields above to estimate business loan costs.
Please note this calculator provides illustrative estimates only.
This tool is designed to help you estimate the monthly and overall costs of borrowing . You can adjust the duration of the loan and the interest rate to get a better idea of what would be affordable. Our calculations assume that any fees involved are bundled in with the loan amount and repaid over the same term, at the same rate. Refer to your loan agreement for exact repayment amounts as they may vary from our calculations.
What business finance products does NatWest offer?
Fixed rate loans A fixed rate loan means you’re protected from increases in interest rates, and can budget with certainty. See NatWest’s current deals or compare fixed rate deals from multiple lenders.
Variable rate loans Variable rate deals expose you to potential increases in interest rates, but also mean you could benefit from any reductions in rates. See NatWest’s current offers or compare variable rate deals from multiple lenders.
Secured loans NatWest offers larger business loans of up to £10 million, but this will usually require you to provide an asset (such as property) as security against the cost of the loan. If you cannot keep up with your repayments, your asset will be at risk.
Business credit cards A NatWest business card can offer an ongoing, flexible line of credit plus the chance to earn cashback on business spending. Some cards also offer fee-free spending abroad. Check out NatWest’s current range or compare all business credit cards.
Arranged business overdraft With a NatWest overdraft there’s no minimum amount to be paid back every month and you only pay interest on the amount of money that you use. You could borrow up to £50,000 without security (subject to approval). Learn more about business banking.
Invoice financing NatWest invoice financing and discounting services let you unlock up to 90% of the value of unpaid invoices. Learn more about how invoice financing works or compare invoice financing deals for your business.
Asset financing NatWest’s hire purchase and operating/finance leasing plans (provided through Lombard) let you spread the cost of new vehicles or equipment for your company. Learn more about asset financing or compare deals from a range of lenders.
Commercial mortgages and real estate finance NatWest could help you spread the cost of commercial property or fund the development of residential property. Learn more about commercial mortgages or discover options suited to your business.
Pros and cons of NatWest business loans
Available to both existing and new customers
Wide range of finance products available
High borrowing limits
High street presence
Repayment holiday facility on certain products
A personal guarantee or security will usually be required
During any capital repayment holidays you’ll still need to keep up interest repayments
A product fee may apply
Variable rate loans could become more expensive as interest rates rise
The best deals are reserved for businesses with a good credit history
Am I eligible for a NatWest business loan?
You should only apply for a NatWest business loan if you’re certain you can meet the repayment terms, and you meet the following criteria:
UK resident for at least 3 years
Over 18 years old
A good credit rating without a history of county court judgments or bankruptcy
NatWest states that its business loans should not be used for personal purchases. They are strictly for the purpose of investing in your business.
You don’t need to be an existing customer to qualify for a NatWest business loan, although as you might expect, loans can be approved and funded more quickly for existing customers.
NatWest business loan rates
NatWest offers both fixed rate and variable rate business loans, but the rate you receive will vary based on the type and size of your loan, and your business’ financial situation. As an accredited lender under the government’s CBILS and BBLS schemes, NatWest also currently offers small business loans with fixed interest rates.
How can I apply for a NatWest loan?
If you would like to take out a NatWest business loan, you might be able to start your application via the NatWest website. You’ll need to provide certain information about your company as part of your application, as well as certain business documents.
You’ll need to provide proof of the following:
The personal information of all of the firm’s partners, directors, members and signatories (NatWest will also require their residential addresses for the previous 3 years).
You’ll also need your business details, including your firm’s Companies House Registration Number if you’re a limited company.
Information about all of the countries your business is registered in for tax.
Cash flow predictions and your annual accounts.
Note that for certain business loans, you will need to enquire online first and NatWest will then be in touch to talk through possible solutions to meet your business needs.
What can’t NatWest do?
Outside of the services NatWest has to offer to growing businesses, you may also wish to consider the following finance products:
Merchant cash advance
Get a lump sum upfront to repay in-line with volume of future sales. Compare deals and learn how business cash advances work.
Compare business loans without impacting your credit score with Tide.
NatWest customer reviews and complaints
97% of NatWest business loan customers in our 2024 customer satisfaction survey said they would recommend NatWest to a friend. Several respondents commented on the high level of customer service they had received and said the brand was reliable. One customer stated: “They are loyal to their customers and provide excellent, knowledgable service.”
NatWest bank as a whole is rated “Bad” on Trustpilot, with a score of 1.4 out of 5 stars based on over 6,600 reviews (updated October 2024). Customers posting on that platform commented on issues with their NatWest accounts and some negative reviewers flagged poor customer service.
The NatWest app has a rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars based on more than 749,000 reviews on the App Store, and a rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars based on over 401,000 reviews on the Google Play Store (updated October 2024).
There are only a few anecdotal references to NatWest business loans on Reddit, although some users on the forum posted mixed reviews about their experiences as NatWest business banking customers.
Customer support
To get in touch with NatWest’s customer support, you can use the ‘Cora’ chatbox either on the website or in the NatWest app. Alternatively, you can start a secure chat with NatWest via Whatsapp. You can find the link to start a Whatsapp message via the NatWest website.
Our verdict
A business loan can help you secure important funds to help your business grow. Whether you’re just starting out or you’re looking to expand, NatWest offers a wide range of business loans to suit different sized businesses and requirements. When comparing NatWest business loans you’ll need to consider how long you’re prepared to borrow for, how much you need to borrow, what you want to use the funds for and whether you’re happy to secure the loan against an asset. This will help you to work out what’s best for you and your business.
Frequently asked questions
This will depend on the type of business loan you apply for and whether you’re an existing customer with online banking. In some cases, funds can be transferred the same day, in other cases, you’ll receive them the next working day. If you aren’t registered for online banking or aren’t currently a customer of NatWest, you could receive the funds within two days of being accepted.
No you don’t need to have a business current account with NatWest in order to get a business loan with the bank.
Yes, some of NatWest’s business loans come with the option to take capital repayment holidays. You’ll still need to make interest payments during this time however.
You can do a tranche drawdown (i.e. take the loan in instalments) with the variable rate loan but not with the fixed rate loan.
NatWest assesses your eligibility on the basis of your credit history as well as those of the other business owners and directors of your company. This is the same process used by other banks when they determine whether or not someone is eligible for a loan. If you believe your application has been unfairly declined, you can choose to appeal – more information can be found on the NatWest website.
Although companies have credit scores in their own right, a younger company will have a more limited credit file. In this situation, NatWest will base decisions (and potentially also interest rates) on the personal credit scores of company owners/directors.
If you or your company has a poor credit rating, you may be offered a loan with a higher rate of interest, or your application may be declined.
This will depend on the type of loan you have, but in many cases you can repay your loan early without incurring an early repayment charge.
Business loans ratings
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
Finder scores, in blue, are based on our expert analysis. We also show reviews from users, where we've received more than 10, with a score in yellow. We gather more reviews from customers every year in Finder's customer satisfaction survey.
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Chris Lilly is Head of publishing at finder.com. He's a specialist in personal finance, from day-to-day banking to investing to borrowing, and is passionate about helping UK consumers make informed decisions about their money. In his spare time Chris likes forcing his kids to exercise more. See full bio
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Chris has written 609 Finder guides across topics including:
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