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A vulnerable customer is a person whose personal circumstances make them less able to engage with a financial relationship, or more susceptible to harm — for example through ill health, bereavement, a sudden change in circumstances, or financial difficulty. Vulnerability can be temporary or longer-lasting. Recognising it and responding with extra care is a core part of treating customers fairly.
- What it means
- Circumstances that reduce someone's ability to manage, or raise their risk of harm.
- Common drivers
- Health, life events, resilience, and capability.
- The response
- Extra support, flexibility, and a low-friction route to help.
Identifying and supporting vulnerability
Supporting vulnerable customers begins with noticing the signs and listening. The right response is practical: flexibility on repayments, clear communication, and a route to help that does not put obstacles in the way of someone who is struggling. Where a customer is in difficulty, support should be easy to reach, not buried behind friction.
Vulnerability in business lending
Even though Credit Corp lends to companies rather than to consumers, the individuals behind a business — its directors and owners — can experience vulnerability, and a business in difficulty can affect them personally. A good lender responds to the people behind a corporate borrower with the same care it would expect for anyone.
Vulnerable customers and Credit Corp
Credit Corp provides a dedicated, low-friction route to support for anyone affected by vulnerability: see our vulnerable-customers page, and contact us early through our Help Centre if repayment is becoming difficult. We would always rather agree a workable arrangement than press for payments someone clearly cannot make. Credit Corp is an independent UK lender (Company No. 17338274, registered with the ICO under ZC189608).
See also
- Forbearance — flexible arrangements in difficulty.
- Responsible lending — the standard that includes vulnerability.
- Payment holiday — a form of support.
- Arrears — falling behind, where support matters most.
Short-term business credit carries a high annualised cost. Borrow only what you need, for the shortest term required. If repayment becomes difficult, contact us early through our Help Centre; support for vulnerable customers is on our vulnerable-customers page. For exact pricing, see our machine-readable references ai.md and llms-full.txt.