Commercial finance: How long to receive funding for unsecured loans, invoice finance & asset finance
Summary — Typical funding times vary by product, documentation and lender. Most unsecured business loans for amounts from £10,000 can be decided in 24 hours to 2 weeks; invoice finance often releases funds within 24–48 hours once onboarding is complete (onboarding: 2–10 working days); asset finance ranges from 1–5 working days for standard vehicles to several weeks for bespoke equipment. Read on for realistic timelines, what speeds or delays the process, and a practical checklist so you can get funds faster. If you’re ready, start a Free Eligibility Check now: Get Quote Now.
Quick answer
Typical ranges at a glance:
- Unsecured loans: 24 hours to 2 weeks (fast fintech/lender offers same or next day; average 3–7 days for standard underwriting).
- Invoice finance: Same day to 10 working days. Funds against approved invoices often within 24–48 hours after onboarding.
- Asset finance: 1–5 working days for standard vehicle deals; 3 days to 6+ weeks for plant, machinery or bespoke equipment.
Note: These are typical timelines. Actual speed depends on documentation, lender appetite, asset valuation needs and the size/complexity of the deal.
Free Eligibility Check — Get Quote Now (no obligation; enquiry does not affect your business credit file).
Unsecured business loans: typical funding time and why
Typical timeline
- Pre-qualification / soft checks: minutes to hours (online).
- Formal decision: same day to 5 working days for standard cases.
- Funds transferred: immediately after agreement or within 1–7 working days depending on lender processes.
What speeds it up
- Clear, recent bank statements and trading evidence.
- Up-to-date company accounts or management accounts if available.
- Single director sign-off and straightforward company structure.
- Smaller sums (from £10,000) are often faster to approve.
- Digital-first lenders and brokers that specialise in fast-decision loans.
What slows it down
- Complex credit history or CCJs requiring manual underwriting.
- Multiple directors with conflicting documentation.
- Large loan amounts that need specialist risk committees.
- Unusual trading models or seasonal revenue swings that require deeper review.
Example: an established SME with clean accounts and clear bank statements can often get a decision within 48–72 hours and funds the same week. By contrast, larger or higher-risk applications may take one to two weeks for full underwriting and payout.
Invoice finance: how long to access funds
Types & their timeframes
- Invoice factoring (full-service): onboarding 2–10 working days; once live, funds released typically within 24–48 hours of approved invoices.
- Invoice discounting (confidential): similar to factoring but often faster for customers with established credit and systems integration—2–7 working days onboarding.
- Spot/instant invoice funding: same-day funds for approved invoices where a specialist front-end purchaser exists.
Why onboarding takes time
Invoice finance providers need to assess your debtors (the companies who owe you money), run KYC checks, and sometimes integrate software for collections. They may sample invoices, review contracts and check average payment behaviours. These operational checks are essential but add time before you can draw down.
Our Business Finance Matching Process
Step 1
Complete Your Details
It takes just 1 minute on average to complete your business and contact details.
Step 2
We Match Your Business
With the best business finance broker or lender most suitable for your needs.
Step 3
You Get Free Quote + Advice
You receive a free quote along with complimentary expert financial advice.
It’s fast and free to get a quote from one of the UK’s leading finance brokers / lenders who will contact you directly with your quote/s.
Complete Our 1-Minute Enquiry Form Now – Get a No-Obligation Quote
Tips to reduce turnaround
- Provide a debtor ageing report and top 10 debtor contact details ready.
- Supply signed contracts or purchase orders demonstrating recurring work.
- Be ready to integrate with accounting or invoicing platforms (Xero, QuickBooks) — this speeds verification.
- Choose lenders offering “spot funding” for urgent invoices.
If immediate cash is required, invoice spotting solutions can provide funds the same day for qualifying invoices — but be mindful of higher fees for ultra-fast access.
Need invoice finance fast? Start your free eligibility check
Our Business Finance Matching Process
Step 1
Complete Your Details
It takes just 1 minute on average to complete your business and contact details.
Step 2
We Match Your Business
With the best business finance broker or lender most suitable for your needs.
Step 3
You Get Free Quote + Advice
You receive a free quote along with complimentary expert financial advice.
It’s fast and free to get a quote from one of the UK’s leading finance brokers / lenders who will contact you directly with your quote/s.
Asset finance: expected timelines by asset type
Typical ranges
- Vehicle finance (cars, vans): 1–5 working days from quote to handover for standard new vehicles.
- Plant & machinery: 3–14 working days; used equipment may need valuation or physical inspection.
- Bespoke / large equipment: 2–8+ weeks — supplier quotes, delivery schedules and manufacturer approvals extend timelines.
- Sale-and-leaseback / refinance: 1–6 weeks depending on asset valuations and legal checks.
Factors that speed or slow funding
New off-the-shelf assets with standard warranties and supplier relationships are quickest. Used or specialist equipment needs inspections and valuations. If the lender requires title searches or complex security arrangements, that adds time. For sustainability projects (EV chargers, heat pumps) some funders require technical assessments which can lengthen the process but may offer better terms.
Example: buying a new delivery van can be financed within a few days; funding a bespoke manufacturing line will usually take several weeks.
Common factors that affect funding speed across all products
- Documentation: complete, well-presented bank statements, accounts and invoices speed decisions.
- KYC / AML checks: identity and beneficial ownership checks are required and can add time.
- Company age & credit history: newer companies or adverse histories mean more underwriting.
- Loan size: larger requests need deeper review and sign-off.
- Sector risk: seasonal or higher-risk sectors (construction, hospitality) face more scrutiny.
- Lender backlog and time of year: busy periods increase turnaround times.
- Need for valuations or security: property, plant valuations and legal charges take longer.
Quick checklist to speed things up
- Have the last 3–6 months of business bank statements ready.
- Produce management accounts or statutory accounts.
- Prepare director ID and proof of address.
- List key debtors, contracts and supplier quotes (for asset finance).
- Be transparent about historic credit issues — lenders prefer clarity.
How UK Business Loans helps you get funding faster
We don’t lend — we connect your business to the lenders and brokers most likely to help. Our simple process is designed to reduce the time you spend searching and increase the speed of responses:
- Complete one short enquiry form with your finance needs and timings.
- We match your details to specialist lenders and brokers in our panel (including sector specialists for construction, sustainability and more).
- Approved partners contact you for any final checks, deliver quotes and outline expected timing.
- You compare offers and decide — there’s no obligation to proceed.
We commonly work with providers who can respond within hours for straightforward cases. If you want to learn more about commercial finance options we connect to, see our commercial finance overview for full detail on the solutions we introduce businesses to: commercial finance.
Complete Our 1-Minute Enquiry Form Now – Get a No-Obligation Quote
Start your free eligibility check — the enquiry takes around 2 minutes and won’t affect your credit file.
Practical checklist: documents & steps to speed funding
Unsecured loans
- Last 3 months bank statements
- Latest management or statutory accounts (if available)
- Director passport/ID and proof of address
Invoice finance
- Debtor ageing report and top 10 debtor details
- Sample invoices and signed contracts or POs
- Integration access to your invoicing/accounting system
Asset finance
- Supplier quotation or order confirmation
- Asset specification and expected delivery dates
- Valuation or condition report for used assets
Typical timelines by sector (snapshots)
- Construction: Plant and vehicle finance is usually quick; project finance and development lending take longer.
- Sustainability projects: Specialist lenders may take longer for technical checks but often provide tailored terms.
- Professional services: Faster for unsecured or invoice finance due to predictable debtor profiles.
- Hospitality & retail: Seasonal patterns and stock cycles can affect decision times.
FAQs
Will my enquiry affect my credit score?
No. Submitting our enquiry form is not a formal application and does not affect your business credit file. Lenders or brokers may perform credit checks later if you proceed with an application.
Which option is quickest for urgent cash flow?
Invoice finance (spot funding) or fast-decision unsecured loans from fintech lenders are typically the quickest. Exact timing depends on documentation and debtor acceptance.
Can I get funds the same day?
Possibly. Same-day funding is available for certain products (spot invoice funding, pre-approved unsecured facilities, or standard vehicle finance) when documentation is ready and the lender offers rapid payment.
Do you charge for matching?
Our service is free for businesses. We are paid by our lender/broker partners when a lead progresses — there’s no charge to submit an enquiry and no obligation to proceed.
Next steps
Ready to get a tailored timeframe and quotes for your business finance needs? Complete our short enquiry and we’ll match you with lenders or brokers who can provide quotes and timing estimates. It takes around 2 minutes and won’t affect your credit score.
Start Your Enquiry — Free Eligibility Check
Legal & small print
UK Business Loans introduces businesses to lenders and brokers; we do not lend or provide regulated financial advice. Submitting an enquiry is not an application and does not affect your credit score. Timing and availability of funds vary by lender, amount and documentation supplied. For full details see our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.
1) How long does it take to get a business loan in the UK?
Typical unsecured business loans are decided in 24 hours to 2 weeks, invoice finance can release funds within 24–48 hours after onboarding (which itself takes 2–10 working days), and asset finance ranges from 1–5 working days for standard vehicles to several weeks for bespoke equipment.
2) What’s the fastest way to get business funding?
The quickest options are spot/instant invoice funding or fast-decision unsecured loans from fintech lenders, provided your documentation is ready and the lender supports same-day payments.
Our Business Finance Matching Process
Step 1
Complete Your Details
It takes just 1 minute on average to complete your business and contact details.
Step 2
We Match Your Business
With the best business finance broker or lender most suitable for your needs.
Step 3
You Get Free Quote + Advice
You receive a free quote along with complimentary expert financial advice.
It’s fast and free to get a quote from one of the UK’s leading finance brokers / lenders who will contact you directly with your quote/s.
3) Will submitting an enquiry with UK Business Loans affect my credit score?
No — completing our short enquiry is not a formal application and does not affect your business credit file; lenders or brokers may carry out checks only if you proceed.
4) Do you charge businesses to match them with lenders?
No — our matching service is free for businesses; we are paid by our lender/broker partners if a lead progresses and there’s no obligation to accept any offer.
5) How much can my business borrow through the lenders you introduce?
Our partners offer a wide range of facilities, typically from around £10,000 up to multi-million pound facilities depending on sector, asset and lender appetite.
6) What documents do I need to speed up a business loan or finance application?
Prepare the last 3–6 months of business bank statements, management or statutory accounts, director ID and proof of address, plus debtor lists/contracts for invoice finance or supplier quotes/specs for asset finance.
7) Can start-ups or businesses with bad credit get finance through your network?
Yes — many lenders and brokers we work with specialise in start-ups and businesses with imperfect credit histories, though underwriting times and terms may vary.
8) How long does invoice finance take to onboard and release funds?
Onboarding for invoice factoring or discounting usually takes 2–10 working days, after which approved invoices are typically funded within 24–48 hours (spot funding can be same day).
9) How long does asset finance take for vehicles vs bespoke equipment?
Vehicle and standard equipment finance can complete in 1–5 working days, while plant, used kit or bespoke manufacturing equipment often takes several days to many weeks due to valuations and delivery schedules.
10) How does UK Business Loans match my enquiry to the right lenders or brokers?
You submit a short eligibility form and we instant-match your needs to trusted, sector-specialist lenders and brokers in our panel who most closely fit your business type, loan size and timing requirements.