Sole traders, contractors and the newly self-employed — funded by lenders who look past a thin set of accounts.
Whole-of-market — 60+ lenders searched, including
Self employed van finance is the profile most often declined by direct lenders, almost always for want of filed accounts rather than anything to do with affordability. We place van on finance for self employed applicants with the lenders who assess sole traders properly, using bank statements and contracts where accounts are thin.
Self-employed applicants with or without full accounts.
Recently gone independent, limited trading history.
Trades whose income varies across the year.
Never borrowed before, so little to score.
Construction Industry Scheme subcontractors.
Funding a first work van from scratch.
A direct lender runs one credit policy. Fall outside it and the application stops, with no explanation of whether a different lender would have said yes. Common reasons a perfectly fundable self-employed application is turned down:
None of those mean the van cannot be funded. They mean that lender’s policy did not fit.
We are a broker, not a lender, so we are not defending a single credit policy. Several lenders on our panel specialise in self-employed applicants, newer businesses and people whose accounts do not tell the whole story. Going to them first avoids the credit footprints that come from applying everywhere.
Proof of identity and address, three to six months of bank statements, and details of the van. Accounts or SA302s help but are not always essential. If something on that list is missing, say so — the gap is usually workable.
Most self-employed customers take hire purchase: a deposit, fixed monthly payments, and the van is yours at the end. A finance lease keeps monthly costs lower if you are not set on owning it. Worth a short conversation with us and your accountant.
See also: van finance generally, or van finance with bad credit if you have been declined before.
One quick conversation about the asset and how the repayments need to work.
As an independent broker we find the right structure and rate — not one lender’s products.
Indicative decisions in as little as 24 hours, then we manage it through to payout.
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 will 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.
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.
Real agreements, written up in full — what the business wanted, what the lenders said, and what it cost. Amounts are rounded and no customer is identified.
New Start · Sole Trader
From first conversation to payout took 24 hours. For someone who had not started trading yet, being able to begin work the next day rather than the next…