Help
Application & Eligibility
Can I apply for a loan?
You can apply for a loan if you:
– Have a valid UK Debit card
– Have an active UK bank account
– Live in the UK
– Are over the age of 18
– Should be in regular employment with a monthly income of at least £400
Can I get another loan before I have paid off the one I have now?
You can apply for another loan even if your current one isn’t fully paid off. We’ll normally tell you when you’re able to apply again. Before saying yes, we’ll look at the information you share with us.
It’s important to think carefully before borrowing more. If you’re already struggling with money, taking another loan may not be the right step.
Even if you’ve always made your payments on time, we might still have to say no. This is likely if you’ve had several loans in a short time. Each time you apply, we check your finances and credit history before making a decision.
How much can I borrow?
Will my application be approved?
We can’t confirm approval until we review your application. Even if you’ve borrowed before, we’ll check your latest details to make sure the loan is right for you and affordable to repay.
Why was I declined?
If your loan isn’t approved, it just means you don’t meet our lending rules for now. Things can change, so you’re welcome to try again in the future and we’ll look at your new application with care.
When will I get my money?
We send most loans in under 90 seconds. It may take longer due to your bank’s processes. Check with them first, and if you still need help, please contact us online/chat, or by logging on to your account.
Do you run a credit check, and will that impact my credit score?
Yes, we run a credit check. It’s only one part of our decision. The search will only be visible on your credit file if you take out the loan. Please remember that multiple checks in a short time may lower your score and affect future borrowing.
Fees & Interest
How much will my loan cost?
Our loan offer will clearly show how much interest you’ll repay and the amount of each repayment. We don’t add any extra charges unless you miss a payment, in which case a late fee may apply. You’ll never be charged more than £12 in late fees over the life of your loan. If you’d like to know more, please click here.
We charge interest daily. This means if you repay early, you’ll pay less interest than if you repay over the full term.
For a 6-month loan, we add 0.8% interest each day on the amount left to pay. For a 12-month loan, we add 0.42% interest each day.
Your repayments are set up on a schedule, so they’ll be the same each month. Each payment has two parts:
Principal – the amount you borrowed.
Interest – the daily interest charged.
In the early months, more of your payment goes toward interest. Over time, more goes toward the principal.
Here’s a representative example of a 6-month and a 12-month loan with Lending Stream. It’s designed to show you the full cost of borrowing, including interest and any charges.
Representative example: 6-month loan
Annual Interest Rate: 292% p.a. (fixed). Total amount of credit: £300. Representative APR 1271%. Duration of agreement: 6 months. Total amount payable: £578.36. Total charge of credit: £279.96. 6 Monthly repayments of: £96.39.
Representative example: 12-month loan
Annual Interest Rate: 153.30%. Total amount of credit: £1000. Representative APR: 324%. Duration of agreement: 12 months. Total amount payable: £1998.60. Total charge of credit: £998.60. 12 Monthly repayments of: £166.55.
As an example, our 6-month representative APR is 1271%. The interest rate is 292% p.a. which means a daily interest rate of 0.8%.
Borrowing £300 over a 6-month period based on the above APR and annual interest rate of 292%, would mean paying back 6 monthly instalments of £96.39. At the end of the term the total amount repaid would be £578.36.
What fees do you charge?
We don’t charge fees to apply, manage your account, or if you choose to repay early. Late fees apply only if you miss a payment, and they’re capped at £12 in total over the lifetime of your loan.
To stay on top of your repayments, log in to your account & view your payment schedule.
If you need to know more, please click here.
Making your payment
How can I check if my payments are up to date?
Login to your online account on the website. Once you’re there, you can view the status of your most recent Lending Stream payment and your payment history.
How can I pay?
Here’s how you can make a payment in a few simple steps:
Log in to your account and click on “make payment” or “pay loan”. This will show the loans you have with us.
1. Find the loan you want to pay. If you have more than one loan, your newest loan will be at the top. Scroll down if you need to.
2. Choose how much you want to pay. You can do this for any loan on the screen.
3. Double-check the payment summary at the bottom to make sure you’ve only selected the loan(s) you want to pay.
4. Select your payment method – Google Pay, Apple Pay, or debit card (new or saved) – and enter your details to finish.
Or, if you prefer, you can make a bank transfer to:
Bank name: Barclays
Account name: Lending Stream Collections
Account number: 83129896
Sort code: 20-19-90
If you pay by bank transfer, please include your Lending Stream account number (shown in your online account) as the reference. This helps us match your payment quickly.
How can I pay with different debit card?
Here’s how you can pay easily with a different debit card:
1. Log in to your account and look for “Useful links”.
2. Click on the link that says, “Update my debit card”.
3. You have two options:
– You can change your default payment card by selecting a new one.
– If you want to make a payment with a different debit card just once, you can do that too.
4. The bank card will need to be in the name of the account holder.
Remember, it’s important not to send your debit card details by email. This can put you at risk of identity theft.
Can I pay with Google Pay and Apple Pay?
Yes – you can pay by Google Pay or Apple Pay. Just log in, select the option, and your payment should show in your account within minutes. It’s safe, quick, and easy.
Can I pay early?
Yes – you can repay early anytime. Just log in, check what you owe, and pay online. You’ll pay less interest, and there are no extra fees. It’s simple and saves you money.
What happens if I pay late?
Remember, if a payment is late, interest will keep building up for longer. This can make your loan cost more in the end. A missed payment will also be added to your credit file, which could make it harder to get credit in the future. That’s why it’s always best to talk to us if you think you might struggle to pay on time. More information can be found here.
Money trouble, life events & extra help
Trouble repaying
Worried about payments? Contact us early – we may be able to offer a payment break or a lower repayment plan.
You can also get free, impartial advice from MoneyHelper at moneyhelper.org.uk or call them on 0800 138 7777.
Additional Needs & Life Events
If you’re facing health issues, sudden changes, or other challenges, please tell us – we may be able to help. We won’t judge. We’ll simply use the information you give us to understand how we can best support you.
You can also get free, impartial advice from MoneyHelper at moneyhelper.org.uk or call them on 0800 138 7777.
If you wish to see how we’ve already helped customers, please click here. If this feels like your situation, talk to us.
Credit Reporting, account details & protecting your personal information
How we work with Credit Reference Agencies
We check your credit file when you apply, but it’s only one part of our decision. Too many applications with different lenders in a short time may lower your score. We also update your repayments with Credit Reference Agencies each month. You can view your report free at sites like CreditKarma or ClearScore. Trans Union is one of the credit reference agencies used by us.
You can find more about them and other Credit Reference Agencies here: Credit Score Frequently Asked Questions | TransUnion UK
The data we have about you & your options
We store some details to manage your account and share monthly updates with Credit Reference Agencies. You can ask for a copy of the data we hold about you at anytime through our contact us page. Once our relationship ends, we only keep your information for as long as needed, then securely delete it.
Details about how we use your data can be found in our Privacy Policy which can be found here.
Avoiding Scams
We’ll never ask you for upfront for application or processing fees. If you get a suspicious call, hang up and ring us on 0203 808 4440#. Never share your details – instead, report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, or using their online form http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/report_fraud.
Making account changes
To update your details, log in and go to “My Profile.” You can also call us on 0203 808 4440# or use the online chat when logged in.
Issues & Complaints
When you think something isn’t right
If you’re unhappy with our service, please let us know straight away. We can usually sort things quickly and without fuss. Of course, you always have the right to make a formal complaint to us.
The easiest way to do this is by logging into your account and chatting with us. You can also:
– Use our Contact Us page
– Call us on 0203 808 4440# (Mon–Fri: 9am–6pm, Sat: 9am–1pm)
We’ll acknowledge your complaint within two business days and aim to give you our final answer within eight weeks.
If you’re unhappy with our final response, or haven’t received one within 8 weeks of making your complaint, you can contact the Financial Ombudsman Service free at www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk or call them on 0800 023 4567.
Download our full complaints handling procedure here.
How many complaints have been reported to the FCA in the last reporting period?
Firm Name: GAIN Credit LLC
Trading Name: Lending Stream, Drafty, & Afforda
Reporting Period: January 2025 – June 2025
Brand: Lending Stream
Product/ Service /Grouping: Credit Related
Provision (at reporting period end date): 1.22%
Number of complaints opened: 1868
Number of complaints closed: 2004
Percentage upheld: 22.50%
Brands: All brands under GAIN Credit LLC
Product/ Service /Grouping: Credit Related
Provision (at reporting period end date): 1.13%
Number of complaints opened: 2687
Number of complaints closed: 3019
Percentage upheld: 30.47%
Managing Your Account
How to Log in to Your Lending Stream Account?
Here’s how you can log in to your account easily:
– Open the Lending Stream website.
– Click on the “Sign In” tab.
– Enter your username (email address).
– Choose how you would like to receive the One Time Password (OTP):
– If you choose “Send code via Email”
– You will receive the OTP within 20 seconds.
– Enter the OTP to log in.
– If you do not receive the OTP within 20 seconds, you can request us resend the code via the “Resend Code” option or choose to send it via SMS
– If you choose “Send code via SMS”
– You will receive the OTP within 20 seconds.
– Enter the OTP to log in.
– If you do not receive the OTP within 20 seconds, you can request us to resend the code via the “Resend Code” option or choose to send it via email.
– If you still encounter issues, please get in touch. You can do this by going to our contact us page or by calling us on 0203 808 4440#. We are available from 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 1pm on Saturday.
Representative 1271%APR
Learn more about the cost of your loan, default charges, risks and prepayments.
Responsible Lending: Please think carefully about whether Lending Stream is the right solution for you. Short-term loans are an expensive form of borrowing. They could make your finances more difficult in the long-term. This is even more important if you’re in financial difficulty. If we don’t think you can afford a loan, we won’t give you one. We’ll look at your current finances and credit history before we make any lending decisions.