Combine harvester finance
The most seasonal machine on the farm, funded by lenders who understand that it earns for a few weeks and stands for the rest of the year.
- New and used combines, foragers and headers
- Annual payments timed to land after harvest
- Contractor and farm ownership both funded
- Terms matched to the machine’s working life
A combine is the sharpest example of the problem seasonal finance exists to solve. It is among the most expensive machines a farm will ever buy, and it earns its keep across a handful of weeks a year. A flat monthly repayment schedule bears no relationship whatsoever to that.
Lenders active in agriculture know this, and will structure around it — most commonly a single annual payment falling shortly after harvest, when the grain has been sold and the money is actually in the account. Some farms prefer stepped monthly payments that drop through winter and rise through summer.
The second thing that shapes a combine deal is hours. Lenders pay close attention to engine and drum hours, because they determine both remaining working life and resale value. A well-specified used machine with moderate hours is often an easier deal to place than a heavily worked one only a couple of years newer.
Farms and contractors are assessed differently
An agricultural contractor running a combine across many holdings has a different risk profile from a farm buying one for its own acreage. The contractor has diversified income from multiple customers, which lenders generally like, but also higher utilisation and faster wear, which they price for.
A farm buying for its own use is assessed against its own acreage and cropping. If the machine is substantially larger than the holding appears to justify, expect the lender to ask why — usually the answer is contracting work on the side, or a plan to take on more land, and saying so up front saves a round of questions.
What lenders look at on a combine
- Engine and drum hours — the primary determinant of remaining life and resale value.
- Make and specification — mainstream manufacturers have a deeper second-hand market.
- Header — often financed with the machine; confirm whether it is included in the price.
- Service history — documented dealer servicing materially helps on a used machine.
- Your cropping — acreage and crop mix, to sense-check the machine against the holding.
Common questions
How do you finance a combine harvester in the UK?
Usually on Hire Purchase with a seasonal repayment profile. Because a combine earns across a few weeks a year, most agricultural lenders will structure repayments as a single annual payment falling after harvest, or as stepped monthly payments that reduce through winter and rise when income arrives. You own the machine outright at the end of an HP agreement, and because you are treated as acquiring the asset it generally allows capital allowances. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
Can I finance a used combine harvester?
Yes, and used machines make up a large share of combine finance. What matters most is hours — engine and drum hours drive both remaining working life and resale value, and lenders weigh them more heavily than age alone. A well-specified machine with moderate hours and documented service history is often easier to fund than a newer machine that has been worked hard. Age and hours together determine the maximum term available.
Can agricultural contractors get combine finance?
Yes. Contractors are funded routinely and in some respects present well to lenders, because income comes from multiple customers rather than a single holding. The trade-off is higher utilisation and faster wear, which lenders account for in the term and sometimes the deposit. Evidence of established customer relationships or committed work for the coming season strengthens the application considerably.
Is the header financed with the combine?
Usually yes — headers are normally included in the same agreement as the machine, since they are bought together and valued together. It is worth confirming explicitly whether the quoted price includes the header you actually need, because specification varies widely and a header can be a significant portion of the total.
Can repayments be timed around harvest?
Yes, and for a combine it is the norm rather than the exception. Common structures are a single annual payment falling shortly after harvest when the crop has been sold, stepped monthly payments that fall through the winter months, or a deferred first payment where the machine will not earn until the following season. Deferring capital repayment increases total interest, so we will show you the full cost alongside the monthly figure.
Tell us about the machine
Make, model, age and rough price is enough to start. If it is an auction lot, tell us the sale date — we will work to it.
CW Asset Finance is a credit broker, not a lender, and may receive a commission from the lender that funds your agreement. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval. Nothing on this page is a quote or an offer of finance. Tax information is general in nature, reflects our understanding of the rules at the time of writing, and is not tax advice — thresholds and reliefs change, and your position depends on your circumstances, so please confirm with your accountant. CW Asset Finance is an Appointed Representative of Rural Finance Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 630701).