Invoice discounting

Invoice discounting: cash advanced, your customers see nothing change

A confidential form of invoice finance for established businesses that already run their own credit control.

How it flows1You invoiceWork delivered,invoice raised2Provider advancesUp to 85–90% ofinvoice value3YOU collectConfidential -customer unaware4Balance stays with youRemainder,minus the fee
Invoice discounting advances a percentage of your invoice value, typically 85 to 90%, while you keep collecting payment from customers exactly as you do today. It is confidential: your customers never see a funding partner's name on statements or chasing correspondence, which is why established businesses with their own credit-control process tend to prefer it over factoring.

Who it suits

  • Established businesses with an in-house credit-control process
  • Businesses that value customer relationships staying untouched by a third party
  • Turnover from roughly £250,000 a year, with reasonably current management accounts
  • Logistics, manufacturing and business-services firms with steady, larger customers

Worked example

The same £85,000 monthly invoicing book on 60-day terms, this time discounted at 88%:

Illustrative, based on typical UK market ranges
Monthly invoicing£85,000
Advance rate88%
Advanced within 24–48 hours£74,800
Held back until customer pays£10,200
Service fee (0.75% of turnover)–£638
Discount fee (base + 1.75%, ~60 days on drawn funds)–£790
Net released after customer pays£8,772

Cost anatomy

FeeWhat it coversTypical range
Service feeFacility administration and periodic ledger review (you keep running collections)0.2–1.0% of turnover
Discount feeCost of the funds advanced, charged on drawn balanceBase rate + 1.0–2.5%
Fees to watch for
  • Annual or semi-annual audit fees to verify your sales ledger
  • Minimum-usage charges in quiet months
  • Bank-guarantee or set-up fees added at the start of the facility
  • Renewal fees on multi-year contracts with auto-renewal clauses
  • Concentration limits capping funding once one customer dominates your book

Frequently asked questions

Will my customers know I use invoice discounting?

No, that is the point. You keep collecting payment as normal, under your own name, and the funding partner sits behind the scenes. This is why it is often called confidential invoice discounting.

Do I still need a credit-control team?

Yes. Because you keep running collections yourself, funding partners usually expect a working credit-control process and up-to-date management accounts before approving a discounting facility.

Is invoice discounting cheaper than factoring?

Often slightly, because you are handling collections rather than the funding partner, but the difference is small. The bigger driver of cost is your debtor quality and turnover, not the product choice itself.

What size of business qualifies?

Discounting typically suits businesses turning over roughly £250,000 a year or more with an established sales ledger and credit-control process. Smaller or newer businesses are usually better matched to factoring.

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Last reviewed: August 2026

See how much you could release.

Two minutes, soft checks only, no impact on your credit score.

See how much you could release