Whether you need to smooth cash flow, fund equipment, or release cash tied up in unpaid invoices — the right facility makes the difference between surviving the month and owning it. Here's what's available to UK Ltd directors through our partner network.
Most UK Ltd directors know this feeling: the business is profitable on paper, the orders are coming in, but the cash isn't there when you need it. A late-paying client, a surprise VAT bill, a payroll date that can't move — and suddenly you're juggling your Director's Loan Account at midnight wondering how to make it through the week.
Unsecured working capital is built for exactly this situation. It's a lump sum facility — typically £25,000 to £500,000 — based on your business's trading history and revenue, not on assets pledged or a Personal Guarantee signed over your home. Your lender looks at how your business actually performs, not at a credit score that hasn't been updated since you maxed out a student overdraft a decade ago.
Decisions based on real trading data — bank statements, revenue history, and how your business actually performs today. No 40-page business plan. No branch appointments. No rigid algorithm that says no because your sector had a bad week.
There's a particular frustration in winning a contract you can't fulfil — because the machinery, vehicles, or equipment needed to deliver it costs more than you currently have liquid. Turning down work because you can't fund the assets to do it is one of the most expensive things a growing Ltd company can do.
Asset finance solves this by separating the cost of equipment from the cash you need to run the business. Instead of draining your working capital on a single purchase, you spread the cost of the asset over its useful life — often with the asset itself acting as security — which in many cases means no Personal Guarantee required and no exposure beyond the equipment you're buying, though requirements vary by lender and facility size.
The asset secures the facility. That means lenders are typically more flexible on credit history and less focused on your balance sheet than they would be for an unsecured facility. If you've been turned down for working capital before, asset finance is often a cleaner route in.
If your business invoices other businesses and waits 30, 60, or 90 days for payment, you already know the maths. Your costs — wages, suppliers, HMRC, rent — don't wait 90 days. Your clients' payment terms do. The gap between those two things is what keeps Ltd directors awake at 2am staring at a bank app, not any fundamental problem with the business itself.
Invoice finance closes that gap by releasing the cash tied up in unpaid invoices before your clients pay them. Instead of waiting, you can typically access up to 90% of the invoice value, often within 24–48 hours of raising it — exact figures and timelines vary by lender and facility type. When your client pays, the remaining balance (minus the facility fee) is released to you.
Invoice finance has a cost — typically a percentage of the invoice value per month. For most businesses where the alternative is an overdrawn Director's Loan Account, a missed HMRC payment, or turning down the next contract, that cost is worth it. For businesses where margins are already paper-thin, it needs careful modelling. Our finance partners will give you a clear picture of the real cost before you commit to anything.
Tell us what you need and we'll match you with a partner who knows your sector. 2 minutes. No credit impact. No obligation.