The number and type of P2P lending companies operating from the UK changes regularly. We keep this page updated every quarter. On this page, you’ll find: Full alphabetical list of the peer-to-peer lending companies in the UK. Which includes: – What types of lending they…
History has shown so far that when P2P lending sites close, most of them continue to disburse to lenders their loan repayments and interest without large blips. They wind down gradually until everything is repaid. (Although, as usual, you can suffer losses from bad debts…
A peer-to-peer lending secondary market – or marketplace – allows you to buy and sell existing loans after they have already begun. Why would you do this? Because it can be quicker, safer or more profitable: You might sell because you need the cash before…
Here’s our list of P2P lending companies that we are aware of that you can lend through from overseas, i.e. outside the UK. And there’s another list below of those that we know you can’t. In addition to any requirements below, you may only open…
When you earn money through peer-to-peer lending there are huge tax breaks available to you. For most people there’s an automatic tax break on all P2P lending accounts. You can also open specific peer-to-peer lending accounts, called IFISAs, which are always free of income tax…
Peer-to-peer lending websites and IFISA providers that do not appear to have the correct permission from the financial regulator are the ones that are most likely to turn out to be the real monsters that cause panic, fear and financial loss to individuals. Below, you…
When it comes to the risks of losing money, the main peer-to-peer lending risks are: Yourself (psychological risk). Not enough diversification (concentration risk). Losing money due to bad debts (credit risk). Losing money due to a P2P lending site going bust (platform risk). Losing money…
In China, the number of websites offering lending platforms once reached more than 2,000. For a long time after that, 80 of them were being closed down every month due to peer-to-peer lending fraud or incompetence. The UK is far from China in more ways…
We have nagged the taxman’s notoriously tight-lipped officials, talked the financial regulator, and chased down accountants, IFISA providers and even 4thWay’s own skilled experts to give you answers to all your IFISA questions – as well questions you never thought to ask. This guide is…
We’ll show you: Why buying and selling loans won’t always be speedy, and can sometimes be nigh-on impossible. What the delays cost you and how long they might last. The silver lining: that your risks actually come down due to slow lending and good investing…
If you invest by buying shares through the stock market, you can be confident that most of your money is working for you most of the time. And you can reinvest with ease in seconds. It’s extremely rare when this becomes difficult. Not so with…
P2P lending, IFISA lending and other online lending is pretty simple and straightforward to do well, but only if you do all the routine things right. Neither 4thWay’s lending tips nor any other educational information from us or elsewhere online can save you from disappointment,…
The key risks in IFISAs are: Psychological risk: your own greed and fear. Concentration risk: you don’t spread your money across lots of loans and P2P lending sites. Credit risk: borrowers don’t repay you. Platform risk: the P2P lending site (the “platform”) goes bust and…
Your main protection is that loans and cash are segregated Firstly, lets get a sense of proportion. Because FSCS protection here is actually a very minor point. If you have loans at a P2P lending company or if that site is holding some of your…
In this guide, we explain how peer-to-peer lending performs when compared against stocks and other investments. Here’s a short summary of what you’ll learn Useful investments for most people are 1) Savings accounts, 2) peer-to-peer lending, 3) buying your own home and 4) the stock…
Here’s an overview of how you can earn an income and make money by helping others escape the banks through peer-to-peer lending. You open an online account with one or more peer-to-peer lending companies, and then you can lend money to people or businesses, including property owners….
Peer-to-peer lending – and other online direct lending – is on average relatively low risk compared to the stock market. And it’s relatively easy to assess compared to picking shares – provided you arm yourself with knowledge. But it’s still, most definitely, an investment. This…
This guide page is to: Describe to you just how incredibly powerful it is to spread your money across lots of high-quality loans. Offer guidance on how much diversification you need. Give you tips on how to go about doing that and how to lower…
The process of money lending has been very profitable for thousands of years, even before computers and credit reports. There have been credit-reference agencies since the mid-1800s. From then onwards, it has become increasingly easy to assess borrowers and decide what interest rates to charge…
Safe peer-to-peer lending is not as risky as the stock market. Not by a long shot. On average! However, as with the stock market, the risks in P2P lending are not uniform. Some lenders will lose a lot of money over the next half century, simply…
Independent opinion: 4thWay will help you to identify your options and narrow down your choices. We suggest what you could do, but we won't tell you what to do or where to lend; the decision is yours. We are responsible for the accuracy and quality of the information we provide, but not for any decision you make based on it. The material is for general information and education purposes only.
We are not financial, legal or tax advisors, which means that we don't offer advice or recommendations based on your circumstances and goals.
The opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and not held by 4thWay. 4thWay is not regulated by ESMA or the FCA. All the specialists and researchers who conduct research and write articles for 4thWay are subject to 4thWay's Editorial Code of Practice. For more, please see 4thWay's terms and conditions.
The 4thWay® PLUS Ratings are calculations developed by professional risk modellers (someone who models risks for the banks), experienced investors and a debt specialist from one of the major consultancy firms. They measure the interest you earn against the risk of suffering losses from borrowers being unable to repay their loans in scenarios up to a serious recession and a major property crash. The ratings assume you spread your money across hundreds or thousands of loans, and continue lending until all your loans are repaid. They assume you lend across 6-12 rated P2P lending accounts or IFISAs, and measure your overall performance across all of them, not against individual performances.
The 4thWay PLUS Ratings are calculated using objective criteria that can be measured and improved on over time, although no rating system is perfect. Read more about the 4thWay® PLUS Ratings.
