Asset finance
Asset Finance
£10k–£5M. Rates from 7.20%. Decisions in 24–72 hours.
Hire purchase, finance leasing, operating leases, sale-and-leaseback, and asset refinance — for every asset class from cars to CNC machines. We shop 40+ UK asset finance lenders to find the sharpest price and the right structure for your tax and accounting position.
What is Asset Finance?
Asset finance is lending directly attached to a business asset — vehicle, machine, equipment, or vehicle. The asset itself acts as security for the lender, which means rates are typically well below unsecured lending and decisions come quickly.
Four main structures exist. Hire Purchase spreads the cost over 1–7 years and transfers ownership at the end. Finance Lease keeps the lender as owner but you use the asset on a full-payout basis. Operating Lease is shorter-term, lower-payment usage rather than ownership. Sale and Leaseback releases cash from assets you already own.
Asset finance suits any business acquiring or recycling capital tied up in physical plant. Terms match the asset's useful life, so repayments align with the cash the asset earns. Most UK facilities run from £10,000 to £5M, with decisions typically returned in 24–72 hours.
Why Use Us for Asset Finance
Rates from 7.20%
Asset security unlocks pricing well below unsecured. The right lender for your asset class can be 200+ bps sharper than the wrong one.
HP, lease, or refinance
We advise on the structure that fits your tax and accounting position — capital allowances, VAT treatment, balance-sheet impact.
Asset-specialist lenders
We route to lenders who know your asset class — yellow plant, CNC, medical, commercial vehicles — rather than generalists who apply blanket haircuts.
24–72 hour decisions
Fast underwriting on standard assets. We align the facility with supplier lead times so there's no hold-up on delivery.
Assets We Finance
Why Use a Broker for Asset Finance?
Dealer finance and single-provider asset facilities almost always price well above the open market. Our panel covers mainstream, challenger, and specialist asset lenders so you see the full picture.
Going direct to a single lender
- — Dealer finance locks you to one quote
- — Standard rates, no asset specialism
- — No structural advice on HP vs lease vs refinance
- — Balance-sheet impact rarely discussed
Using The Finance Brokers
- — Priced across 40+ asset finance lenders
- — Specialist lenders for niche asset classes
- — HP, lease, and refinance structures compared
- — Tax & accounting impact considered
How It Works
Scope the asset
Tell us the asset — make, model, age, supplier, price — and whether you're buying new or refinancing. We gauge what the panel will fund.
We shop the specialists
We price HP, finance lease, and operating lease options against asset-class specialists. Rate, monthly payment, and structure compared.
Pay-out to supplier
Once you pick the lender, funds go direct to the supplier or are released to you for refinance. Most assets are on-site within a week.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is asset finance?
Asset finance is lending secured against — and used to acquire — a specific business asset: vehicles, plant, machinery, yellow plant, commercial equipment, IT hardware, or specialist tools. The asset itself is the primary security, so rates are typically lower than unsecured lending and decisions come faster.
What's the difference between hire purchase and finance lease?
Hire purchase (HP) means you own the asset at the end of the term after a final option-to-purchase fee — it sits on your balance sheet as an asset, and you claim capital allowances. Finance lease means the leasing company owns the asset while you lease it — the lease goes on your balance sheet under IFRS 16 but tax treatment varies. Both are popular and we advise on which fits your accounting and tax position best.
How much can I borrow on asset finance?
UK asset finance typically runs from £10,000 up to £5M on standard facilities, with larger structured deals available for specialist plant, aircraft, and big-ticket machinery. Terms match asset useful life — 3–5 years on vehicles, 5–7 years on heavy plant, 1–3 years on IT.
Can I refinance assets I already own?
Yes. Asset refinance (also called a sale-and-leaseback when the asset leaves your balance sheet) releases capital tied up in owned assets — typically plant, commercial vehicles, or specialist machinery. The lender buys the asset or takes a charge over it, and you pay a facility back over 1–5 years.
How fast does asset finance complete?
Most standard asset finance completes in 24–72 hours from application on smaller tickets — vehicles, IT, and well-known plant. Larger or non-standard assets that need specialist valuation or inspection typically take 5–10 working days. We sequence around supplier delivery dates.
What assets qualify for asset finance?
Cars, vans, HGVs, buses and coaches, agricultural machinery, construction plant (diggers, cranes, telehandlers), CNC and production machinery, printing presses, medical and dental equipment, restaurant and hospitality kit, IT hardware, and renewables (solar, EV chargers). Soft assets like branded fit-out are harder — we'll tell you what the panel will accept.
Related Guides
How to Get an Unsecured Business Loan in the UK
Step-by-step guide to applying for an unsecured business loan in the UK — what lenders look for, what documents you need, and how to maximise your chances of approval.
Secured vs Unsecured Business Loans: Which Is Right for You?
A clear comparison of secured and unsecured business loans in the UK — how they differ on cost, speed, loan size and risk, and how to choose between them.
What Is an Unsecured Business Loan? A UK Guide
Plain-English guide to unsecured business loans in the UK — how they work, what they cost, who qualifies and when to use one.
Ready to finance the asset?
Tell us the asset and the budget. We'll benchmark HP, lease, and refinance options across the UK asset finance panel and bring back the tightest structure.