Removal vehicle finance
Behind every cortege sits a working van that nobody photographs, shuttling between mortuary, chapel of rest and crematorium all week.
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Can you finance a removal vehicle?
Removal vehicle finance covers the larger, multi-deck vans a funeral business uses for back-of-house work: collecting from hospitals and mortuaries, moving coffins between branches, and delivering to crematoria and churches. They differ from a single first-call vehicle in capacity, carrying several decks and often a tail lift. The base van is conventional and easy for a funder to value, while the racking and deck system is specialised. Both new and used vehicles are fundable, and the strength of the funeral business is usually the deciding factor.
Used kit: Yes — used removal vans fund easily, and because they are cleaned and maintained to a high standard they often present far better than a general haulage van of the same age.
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What would a removal vehicle cost per month?
Asset finance is quoted on a flat rate, so that is what the buttons show, with the equivalent APR beside it. Your exact rate depends on the asset, the term, the deposit and the lender.
Prime is an established, profitable business with clean credit. Specialist covers newer businesses and credit that needs explaining — the asset itself carries part of the risk, which is why finance is often available where an unsecured loan is not.
Representative example: on Hire Purchase, borrowing £25,000 over 48 months at a 5.15% flat rate (equivalent to 9.9% APR representative), you would repay around £628 a month; total amount repayable approximately £30,150, of which £5,150 is the cost of finance. This calculator is for illustration only — it is not a quote or an offer of finance, and the rate and repayments you are offered will depend on the asset, term, deposit and your circumstances. 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.
Rates shown are indicative flat rates with the equivalent APR alongside — the two are not the same number. Indicative only and does not constitute a quote or an offer of finance. Subject to status and lender approval.
How lenders treat it
Funders look at these as commercial vehicles first and funeral assets second, which makes them more straightforward than a coachbuilt hearse. The panel van underneath has a large and liquid used market, so the advance is anchored to something an underwriter can verify. The deck system, tail lift and interior lining are treated as adding limited recoverable value, on the basis that stripping a converted van back is possible but reduces what it fetches. Where a funder does need convincing is on utilisation and purpose, since a business buying a large logistics vehicle is usually scaling, and underwriters will want that reflected in the accounts. The sector itself works in the applicant’s favour: funeral firms rarely fail, rarely contract sharply and tend to have long unbroken trading histories, which is the profile that gets unusual assets over the line.
Makes and models we fund
Examples of the machines we are asked to fund. This is not an exhaustive list — if what you are buying is not here, it does not mean we cannot fund it. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.
| Machine | What it is |
|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz Sprinter | Large van for deceased removals |
| Ford Transit | Removal vehicle with internal deck |
| Iveco Daily | Truck-derived van for multiple removals |
| Volkswagen Crafter | High-roof van for stand-up working |
| Renault Master | Value large van for removal duties |
| Vauxhall Movano | Large van for branch collection work |
| Mercedes-Benz Vito | Compact discreet removal vehicle |
| Bevan Group bodies | British-built van bodies and conversions |
| O&H Vehicle Technology conversions | UK converter for removal vehicle fit-outs |
| Flexmort portable cooling | Cooling equipment for removal vehicles |
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Who buys one
Generally a multi-branch funeral group or a larger independent running its own central mortuary, where one discreet estate car cannot cope with the daily movement between sites. Trade embalmers and funeral service providers working for several firms buy them for the same reason.
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How it is treated for tax
Bought on hire purchase, business plant and machinery normally qualifies for capital allowances on the full cost even though you pay for it monthly, which is a large part of why hire purchase is the common structure. On a finance lease you generally set the rentals against profit instead. The rules change between budgets and your position depends on how you trade, so treat this as the direction of travel and get your accountant to confirm the detail before you commit.
Removal vehicle finance questions
How is this different from a private ambulance?
Capacity and role. A private ambulance is a discreet single-capacity vehicle for first calls at homes and hospitals. A removal van carries several decks and handles bulk movement between mortuary, chapel and crematorium, so it looks and funds more like a commercial vehicle.
Does a tail lift affect the funding?
It adds cost and a little complexity. Tail lifts are common on commercial vehicles generally, so funders understand them, but they will value the lift modestly and want it to have been fitted and certified by a proper installer.
Can a used van be converted and funded afterwards?
It is possible with some funders, though a standalone conversion on an older van is the hardest thing to place. Buying the vehicle and specifying the deck system together on one invoice gives a much cleaner application.
Do these vehicles need to be unmarked?
Most funeral firms keep them plain for obvious reasons, and funders have no objection either way. An unmarked van is marginally easier to resell than a liveried one, so plain paintwork can be a small advantage at the end of the agreement.
What if we operate across several branches?
That usually strengthens the case. Multiple sites imply scale, volume and established income, and a vehicle that visibly serves a network is easier to justify to an underwriter than one whose purpose is unclear from the accounts.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
Also in hearse and funeral vehicle finance
- Hearse finance
- Funeral limousine finance
- Funeral fleet finance
- Private ambulance finance
- Horse drawn hearse finance
- Motorcycle hearse finance
- Electric hearse finance
- Used hearse finance
- Funeral home equipment finance
- Mortuary equipment finance
- Coffin trolley finance
See everything we fund in hearse and funeral vehicle finance →
Not an offer of finance. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
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Tell us what you’re looking to fund and Conor will come back to you personally — usually the same day.
Prefer to talk? Call 0333 772 4864 · serving Leeds, York, Harrogate, Wakefield, Selby, Tadcaster & across North & West Yorkshire.