Invoice Factoring vs Discounting for Hauliers: Differences
Direct answer (30–60 words)
Invoice factoring sells your invoices to a funder who advances typically 70–90% and takes over credit control (usually disclosed). Invoice discounting advances cash (often 80–95%) while you keep collecting and is normally confidential. The right choice for hauliers depends on confidentiality, your in‑house credit control, debtor quality and cost.
Key differences at a glance
- Customer visibility: Factoring is usually disclosed; discounting is normally confidential.
- Collections & control: Factoring = funder handles credit control; discounting = you keep collections.
- Advance rates: Factoring ~70–90%; discounting ~80–95% (depends on debtor quality).
- Costs: Factoring adds collection/service fees plus finance margin; discounting can be cheaper if you have strong collections.
- Admin impact: Factoring reduces internal admin; discounting keeps admin in‑house.
- Speed: Both can advance funds fast (often 24–72 hours once set up).
Which suits a haulier?
- Choose discounting if you need confidentiality (supermarket/pallet network contracts) and have good credit control.
- Choose factoring if you want to outsource collections, reduce admin and free staff to focus on operations (useful for many small customers or rapid growth).
- You can mix approaches (selective finance) — e.g., discounting for large national accounts, factoring for spot-market customers.
Eligibility & what lenders check
- Customer ledger/aged debt, major contract names, trading history, accounts, VAT returns, recent bank statements, and any CCJs or disputes.
- Typical facilities suit businesses seeking funding from around £10,000 upwards. Clean, itemised ledgers and blue‑chip customers improve rates.
Next steps
UK Business Loans is an introducer — we don’t lend. Complete a short Free Eligibility Check and we’ll match your haulage business with lenders or brokers who specialise in transport invoice finance. Get Quote Now — Free Eligibility Check (no obligation; submitting an enquiry does not affect your credit score).
