Invoice Finance — Do We Charge Business Owners Any Fees for Our Matching Service?

Short answer: No — UK Business Loans does not charge business owners to use our matching service. We connect your business with specialist invoice finance lenders and brokers at no cost to you. Read on to learn exactly what “free” means, what fees lenders may charge, how the match process works and how to request a free eligibility check and quick quotes.

How our invoice finance matching service works

UK Business Loans acts as a fast introducer. We don’t lend, underwrite or provide regulated financial advice — we simply make the search for invoice finance faster by matching your company with lenders and brokers who specialise in factoring and invoice discounting.

Typical process for invoice finance enquiries:

• Complete a short enquiry form (about 2 minutes).
• We match your business to lenders and brokers experienced in invoice finance for your sector.
• Selected partners contact you with a free eligibility check and indicative quotes.
• You review offers and, if you wish, progress direct with a chosen lender or broker.

Why this matters: invoice finance can unlock significant working capital tied up in unpaid invoices. Speed matters — getting quick, comparable quotes helps you make an informed decision without wasting time.

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Direct answer — Do we charge business owners to use the matching service?

No. UK Business Loans does not charge business owners or company directors to use our matching service for invoice finance. Completing our enquiry form is free and there is no obligation to proceed.

How we make money: we receive referral or lead fees from lenders and brokers when they receive and act on an enquiry. This payment is between the provider and UK Business Loans and does not increase the fees you pay to a lender or broker. UK Business Loans only earns revenue when a business completes the enquiry form and is successfully matched — which is why we focus on quality introductions.

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What “free” covers — and what it does not

When we say the matching service is free, here’s what that means in practice:

Included at no cost to your business:

• Matching with multiple lenders and brokers that specialise in invoice finance.
• Free, no-obligation eligibility checks and quick indicative quotes from those partners.
• Confidential sharing of basic business details with selected partners so they can assess fit.

What UK Business Loans does not do (and will not charge you for):

• We do not lend money, underwrite facilities or act as your lender.
• We do not charge arrangement, interest, legal or administration fees on behalf of lenders.
• We do not provide regulated financial advice; lenders/brokers do.

Here’s what might cost you — but only if you choose to accept a lender’s offer. These charges come from the lender or broker, not from UK Business Loans (details below).

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Invoice Finance: typical lender and broker fees you might see

Invoice finance covers a range of products (factoring, invoice discounting, spot advances, long-term facilities). Each provider sets its own pricing, so always ask for a full fee schedule before signing anything. Common charges include:

• Discount rate / funding fee — a percentage applied to the invoice value for the period the advance is outstanding. This is the core cost of invoice advance facilities.
• Service or management fees — monthly or per-invoice admin fees for running the facility and managing collections (more common with factoring).
• Arrangement / set-up fees — a one-off fee to set up the facility and conduct due diligence.
• Reserve / holdback — a percentage of invoice value held back until the debtor pays; this acts as a buffer against returns or disputes.
• Exit / termination fees — occasional one-off costs if you close the facility early (not always charged).
• Interest on borrowing lines — where facilities include a borrowing element, interest may be charged on outstanding balances.
• Broker fees or adviser charges — some brokers charge an advisory or placement fee; sometimes these are paid by the lender, sometimes by you. Always confirm who pays.

What to do: request a written fee schedule and worked examples from any provider you consider. That clarifies effective cost and lets you compare offers accurately.

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How matching is done, and what information we use

We ask a few core details so we can make a targeted introduction — typical questions include business type (limited company), annual turnover, estimated monthly invoice volumes, customer concentration (are your invoices dominated by one or two clients?), time in business, and contact details.

Matching is carried out using our selection logic and sector knowledge: we prioritise lenders and brokers with experience in your industry (construction, manufacturing, recruitment, logistics, retail, etc.) and with appetite for your invoice profile.

Data security: we only share the details you provide with selected partners relevant to your enquiry. We recommend you read our Privacy Policy for full details on how information is handled and retained.

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Real-world examples

Scenario A — Contractor with unpaid progress invoices

Background: a limited company in construction has £150k tied up in unpaid progress invoices and needs working capital to buy materials for the next project stage.

What happened: they submitted an enquiry via our form (no fee). Within 24 hours a factoring specialist contacted them with an indicative advance rate, a service fee proposal and an outline of reserves. The business chose a factoring solution that provided immediate cashflow. UK Business Loans charged nothing to the business for making the match; the chosen provider pays a referral fee to us after the enquiry.

Scenario B — Recruitment firm with rapid invoice turnover

Background: a recruitment agency issues many short-term invoices and wanted invoice discounting to keep clients unaware of the facility.

What happened: we matched the agency with two brokers and one direct lender offering confidential invoice discounting. The company compared offers and proceeded with the solution that balanced low discount fees with flexible terms. The matching service was free — broker and lender fees were clearly disclosed before contract.

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What to expect after you submit your enquiry

• Response time: partners typically respond within hours; full indicative quotes are often available in 24–72 hours.
• Contact methods: expect calls and emails from brokers or lenders to discuss details and request documents (invoices, bank statements, company details).
• Credit checks: initial eligibility checks are usually soft searches (no impact on credit score). Lenders will advise when a hard credit search is needed.
• No obligation: you are under no obligation to accept any quote or progress a facility after the introduction.

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Transparency, data privacy and provider disclosures

UK Business Loans acts as an introducer. We do not provide regulated financial advice or make lending decisions. We encourage transparency: all lenders and brokers you are introduced to must provide clear written disclosures about fees, charges and terms before you sign any agreement.

Your data is handled securely and only shared with selected partners relevant to your enquiry. Please review our Privacy Policy and Terms for full details.

Frequently asked questions

Does using the site affect my business credit score?

No. Submitting an initial enquiry typically does not trigger a hard credit search. Providers will confirm when a hard check is required.

Is UK Business Loans a lender?

No — we introduce businesses to lenders and brokers. We do not underwrite facilities or provide funds.

Who pays UK Business Loans?

We are paid by lenders or brokers (referral/lead fees) when they receive and act on enquiries. This arrangement does not add cost to you and does not change fees charged by lenders.

Will lenders contact me directly?

Yes — after you submit the enquiry selected partners will contact you to discuss options and provide quotes.

Can limited companies apply?

Yes — our matching service is designed for UK limited companies requiring invoice finance of around £10,000 and upwards.

Are my details safe?

Yes. We only share your details with selected lenders and brokers relevant to your request. See our Privacy Policy for more.

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Ready to get started?

UK Business Loans does not charge business owners to use our matching service. If you want fast, no-obligation quotes from invoice finance specialists, complete a short enquiry now and we’ll match you to the best lenders and brokers for your business.

Get Started — Free Eligibility Check

Prefer to read more? Learn more about invoice finance options on our dedicated invoice finance page: invoice finance.

Internal links & further reading

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1. Is UK Business Loans free to use for invoice finance matching?
No — UK Business Loans’ matching service and free eligibility checks are provided at no cost to business owners, with revenue coming from referral fees paid by lenders or brokers.

2. Will submitting an enquiry affect my business credit score?
No — submitting an initial enquiry usually involves soft checks that do not impact your business credit score, with any hard credit searches only performed later by lenders with your consent.

3. How quickly will I receive invoice finance quotes and eligibility checks?
Selected lenders and brokers typically respond within hours, with full indicative quotes and eligibility checks often available within 24–72 hours.

4. What fees should I expect from invoice finance providers?
Invoice finance providers commonly charge discount rates/funding fees, service or management fees, arrangement/setup fees, reserves/holdbacks, and occasionally exit fees or interest, all of which should be disclosed before you sign.

5. Who pays UK Business Loans for the introductions?
Lenders or brokers pay UK Business Loans referral or lead fees when they receive and act on an enquiry, and this does not add to the fees you pay the lender.

6. Which businesses can apply for invoice finance through UK Business Loans?
Our matching service supports UK limited companies, sole traders, LLPs and SMEs across many sectors (e.g., construction, recruitment, manufacturing) for invoice finance from around £10,000 and up.

7. What’s the difference between factoring and invoice discounting?
Factoring usually includes the lender managing collections and is often visible to your customers, whereas invoice discounting keeps the facility confidential and you retain control of collections.

8. What information do I need to complete the short enquiry form?
You’ll be asked for basic details such as business type, annual turnover, estimated monthly invoice volumes, customer concentration, time in business and contact information to enable accurate matching.

9. Can start-ups or businesses with bad credit get invoice finance?
Some specialist lenders and brokers in our network do consider start-ups and businesses with imperfect credit histories, but availability and terms vary by provider.

10. Am I obliged to accept any offers after getting quotes?
No — there is no obligation to accept any quote; you can compare offers and only progress directly with a lender or broker if you choose.