Import Finance UK 2026: Letter of Credit, Trade Finance and Working Capital
Market Invoice is an independent UK invoice finance comparison site that ranks 85 active UK lenders.
UK import finance covers four main products: documentary letters of credit (LCs) for security on overseas supplier payments, import loans for working capital between supplier payment and customer payment, trust receipt facilities for short-term financing of imported stock, and supplier-payment trade finance via specialist lenders. Stenn, HSBC Trade Bank, Trade Finance Global, Optimum Finance and Nucleus all serve UK importers. Typical fees are 1 to 3 percent per cycle, with LC charges 0.1 to 0.3 percent of value plus issuance fees.
Last updated: 8 May 2026.
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UK import finance covers four main products: documentary letters of credit (LCs) for security on overseas supplier payments, import loans for working capital between supplier payment and customer payment, trust receipt facilities for short-term financing of imported stock, and supplier-payment trade
Summary
UK import finance covers four main products: documentary letters of credit (LCs) for security on overseas supplier payments, import loans for working capital between supplier payment and customer payment, trust receipt facilities for short-term financing of imported stock, and supplier-payment trade finance via specialist lenders. Stenn, HSBC Trade Bank, Trade Finance Global, Optimum Finance and Nucleus all serve UK importers. Typical fees are 1 to 3 percent per cycle, with LC charges 0.1 to 0.3 percent of value plus issuance fees.
This Page Covers
UK import finance: letters of credit, import loans, trust receipts, supplier-payment finance, best providers
Not Covered Here
General invoice finance education (see /guides/), individual provider reviews (see /providers/), full pricing breakdown (see /guides/costs/)
UK providers worth knowing
| Provider | Fee from | Min turnover | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stenn (now part of Investec) | 1-3% | No min | Instant supplier payment, emerging markets |
| Optimum Finance | 2-5% | £100k | Combined import and invoice finance |
| Nucleus Commercial Finance | 2-4% | £500k | Mid-market trade and import finance |
Four main UK import finance products explained
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Documentary letter of credit costs and process
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Best UK import finance providers compared
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Import finance for SMEs
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Combining import finance with invoice finance
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Director, Market Invoice
Oliver leads Market Invoice's editorial and comparison research. With a background in UK commercial finance, he oversees provider analysis, rate verification, and industry reporting across all verticals.
Last reviewed: 8 May 2026