FCA regulated (Appointed Representative)NACFB Member60+ lenders searchedIndicative decisions in as little as 24 hoursSpeak to an expert:07581 364281

CW Asset Finance | Vehicle & Equipment Finance Yorkshire

← All finance questions

Can repayments be structured around harvest income?

Often, yes. Farm income is lumpy and lenders experienced in agriculture know it. Depending on the lender and the asset, repayments can sometimes be set annually, half-yearly or quarterly, or shaped so the larger payments fall when the money comes in and smaller ones fall in the leaner months. It has to be agreed at the outset, not renegotiated later.

This matters because a flat monthly payment sits badly against a business that takes most of its income in a few weeks of the year. A seasonal or annual profile lines the cost of the machine up with the cash it helps to generate, which can make the commitment far easier to live with in practice.

Structures you may hear discussed include annual or seasonal payments, and a deferred first payment to bridge the gap between delivery and the first crop off the ground. Availability varies by lender, by asset and by the strength of the application. If part of your income timing depends on a support or grant scheme, check the current position for yourself before you build it into a payment profile — scheme detail differs across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and it changes. Start with gov.uk and the relevant devolved administration.

Be clear-eyed about the downside. Concentrating the cost into one or two payments a year means holding the money back through the rest of it, and a poor harvest or a late payment leaves you facing a large instalment with less income behind it. Seasonal profiles can also cost more overall than level monthly payments, because the balance stays outstanding for longer. Missed payments still put the asset at risk of repossession.

Thinking about it for your own business?

Tell us what you are looking to fund and we will search our panel of 60+ lenders. No credit search at this stage, and indicative decisions in as little as 24 hours.

CW Asset Finance is a credit broker, not a lender. Finance is subject to status and lender approval.