Bad credit car finance

Getting car finance with bad credit can be frustrating - but it doesn't have to stop you. 

We specialise in helping people who have been turned down for car finance by other lenders due to bad credit.

Here's why you can count on us:

• We've helped more than 300,000 people with a poor credit history secure vehicle finance
• We're rated 4.9/5 by customers on Smart Money People 
• Four years running, we've been named Best Car Finance Provider at the Consumer Credit Awards 
• We've earned the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award for excellence in customer service in six out of the last seven years

Simply put, bad credit car finance is designed to help people with a low credit score afford a new car. If you've been rejected elsewhere - or worry that you will be - a specialist lender like us could help. That means you can borrow the money for the vehicle you need, with affordable fixed payments, and own the car at the end of the agreement.

With more than 20 years of specialist experience in offering car finance to individuals with a poor credit rating, we're a lender you can trust.

So, whether you have a bad credit history, very poor credit, or no credit history at all, get in touch with our specialist underwriting team at First Response Finance, and we'll talk you through your car finance options.

Our bad credit car loans are provided through a Hire Purchase (HP) agreement. 

This means you can spread the cost of a car over fixed monthly payments and become the legal owner once the agreement is complete.  

How does Hire Purchase car finance work?

1. Choose your car and apply for finance
   You may need to pay a deposit depending on the circumstances. 
2. Make fixed monthly payments
   Your interest rate is fixed, so your monthly payments stay the same for the full agreement. 
3. Own the car at the end of the agreement
   Once all the payments are made, the car becomes yours. There are no mileage limits, hidden fees or balloon payments. 

Why is HP used for bad credit car finance?

Hire Purchase - and not Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) - is commonly used for customers with bad credit history because: 

• It spreads the cost into affordable fixed payments
• Lenders retain security on the vehicle during the agreement
• It provides a clear route to ownership once payments are completed

Yes. When you apply online, you'll get an instant decision on your eligibility, even if you have bad credit. We use a soft credit check at this stage, so checking won't affect your credit score and there's no obligation to go ahead. If we can help, you'll see how much you could borrow and what your repayments would look like, all in a few minutes.

If you've picked out a vehicle from an FCA authorised dealership, it's possible to get a quote, submit your documents, and sign your finance agreement on the same day.

We use Experian, one of the UK's top credit reference agencies, to run our credit checks. This helps us to understand your credit history, which is one of several factors we take into consideration when making a decision on your approval for vehicle finance.

Our Head of Sales and Marketing, Jonathan, provides his expert insight:

"The answer is no, not with First Response Finance. That's because we specialise in helping people with bad credit by offering solutions tailored to their situation. So, it makes it easier for you to get car finance despite past credit challenges.

"Other lenders may view you as a higher risk borrower, which can result in stricter eligibility criteria, the need for a larger deposit, or even an outright "no". Our approach is different; we take the time to understand your past credit issues and discuss what we can do to help moving forward."

We’re authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

We're committed to treating customers fairly and giving clear, honest information so you can trust us to put your best interests first every step of the way!

There are plenty of options open to you that might offer a feasible route to securing the finance you need: 

Specialist lenders: Like First Response Finance! While we look at your credit score when reviewing your application, it's not the only thing that will determine our decision. We try to be flexible and approve as many bad credit car finance applications as we can. 

A guarantor: A person, usually a close friend or family member with a stronger credit raring, agrees to take on responsibility for repaying the finance if you can't, which reduces the risk for the lender. This isn't something we offer, however we do offer joint car finance. 

Joint finance: When you apply jointly with someone else, both of your circumstances are taken into account. This can improve your chances of approval, especially if one person has a better credit score. 

You can use our handy car finance calculator below to get an idea of what your monthly repayments could look like. Or, you can get a quote for bad credit car finance today to check your eligibility, with no risk to your credit score.

We're SAF Approved by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA), which means that all relevant staff have passed the Specialist Automotive Finance (SAF) Expert test. This ensures our team members have all the relevant knowledge to advise you on available finance products and help find the right one for you!