6 specialty finance routes
Each route below pre-fills the FundBiz eligibility checker with the relevant finance type so you skip the first form step.
Merchant cash advance (MCA) →
Funding against card-machine takings. Repaid as a percentage of daily card receipts. Same-week funding for established card-takers.
Asset finance →
Hire purchase, finance lease, operating lease for vehicles, plant, equipment. The asset is the security so PG requirements are softer.
Working capital term loan →
Unsecured or director-guaranteed term loan for general working capital. 6 months to 6 years. Funding Circle, iwoca, Allica, OakNorth tier.
R&D advance →
Funding against expected HMRC R&D tax credit refund. Tech, biotech, engineering firms with claims in progress.
VAT loan →
Short-term loan timed to quarter-end VAT bill. Repaid against next-quarter cashflow.
Post-decline routing →
Specialist lenders that engage where mainstream has declined. Bizcap, JPM Capital, sector specialists. Tighter pricing but cleaner-fit underwriting.
When invoice finance is the right answer instead
Stay on MarketInvoice (and ignore the above) if:
- You sell B2B (commercial customers, not consumers) and your invoices are paid 30 to 90 days after issue
- You have a consistent debtor book of named B2B customers (not one-off contracts)
- Your ongoing working-capital need is driven by the gap between issuing invoices and receiving payment
- Your turnover is at least £50,000 a year (most providers' floor)
See our provider comparison for the 85+ UK invoice finance providers, or request quotes from three specialists.
Cross-product scenarios
Many UK SMBs use invoice finance plus a specialty product alongside it. Common combinations:
- Invoice finance + asset finance. The IF facility funds receivables; the asset finance funds new equipment. Common in manufacturing, construction, transport.
- Invoice finance + MCA. The IF facility funds B2B receivables; MCA funds against B2C card takings. Common in hospitality and retail with mixed B2B/B2C revenue.
- Invoice finance + R&D advance. The IF facility funds ongoing receivables; the R&D advance bridges to the HMRC credit. Common in tech and life sciences.
- Invoice finance + working-capital term loan. The IF facility runs continuously; the term loan funds a one-off project or capex. Common across most B2B sectors.
FAQs
I need finance but invoice finance isn't right for my business, what are the alternatives?
UK SMB finance covers many specialist routes beyond invoice finance: term loans for capital expenditure, asset finance for plant and vehicles, merchant cash advance (MCA) against card flow, R&D advance for tech and innovation businesses, VAT loans for quarter-end pressure, post-decline routing for businesses that mainstream lenders have refused, and HMRC-aware lenders for tax pressure scenarios. Our sister site FundBiz handles all of these for limited companies, LLPs, and partnerships of 4+.
When is invoice finance not the right answer?
Several common scenarios: your customers are consumers (B2C, not B2B); your invoices are short-cycle (paid within 14 to 30 days, so the advance margin is uneconomic); your business is pre-revenue or sub-12-month trading without a credible debtor book yet; you need finance against equipment or stock rather than receivables; your contract terms include material set-off rights or retention that lenders won't fund; or your need is short-term cash for a one-off purpose (HMRC bill, supplier settlement, equipment purchase) rather than ongoing working capital.
What is the difference between MarketInvoice and FundBiz?
MarketInvoice is the UK's independent invoice finance comparison and introducer service for B2B receivables-led businesses. FundBiz is our sister site for specialty SMB finance: asset finance, MCA, working capital term loans, R&D advance, VAT loans, post-decline routing. Both are operated by Best Business Loans Ltd (company number 16833937). The split is by product, not by quality: invoice finance via MarketInvoice, other specialty UK SMB finance via FundBiz.
Can I use both MarketInvoice and FundBiz at the same time?
Yes. Many UK SMBs run invoice finance alongside other facilities: an invoice finance line for ongoing receivables-driven working capital plus a term loan for a one-off capital project, or invoice finance plus asset finance against new equipment. The two facilities sit independently. You can apply via MarketInvoice for the invoice finance side and via FundBiz for the specialty finance side. Both are free to compare and quote.
Is FundBiz limited to certain business types?
FundBiz routes limited companies, LLPs, and partnerships of 4+. Sole traders sit outside the FundBiz panel; for sole trader finance, look at the British Business Bank Start Up Loan scheme or direct lenders that work with self-employed applicants. MarketInvoice covers a broader range of invoice finance applicants including some sole-trader scenarios via specialist lenders that engage with B2B receivables regardless of legal form.
What if I have been declined by mainstream lenders?
Post-decline routing is one of FundBiz's core specialisms. Specialist UK lenders engage with applicants that mainstream banks (Lloyds, NatWest, Barclays, HSBC) and the larger fintech term-loan providers (Funding Circle, iwoca) have declined. The post-decline panel includes Bizcap, JPM Capital, Capify, 365 Business Finance, Liberis, YouLend, and others. FundBiz routes by the specific decline reason: CCJ, sub-12-month trading, low turnover, sector concerns, HMRC arrears, or director credit issues.
Both MarketInvoice and FundBiz are operated by Best Business Loans Ltd, company number 16833937. Editorial standards on MI editorial policy apply to both.