Professional services
High-value invoices and long waits. Keep cash coming in between client payments.
The problem
Late payments are slowing UK businesses down
Waiting 30, 60 or 90 days for a customer to pay does not stop your wages, rent and suppliers from being due now. Invoice finance closes that gap.
49%
of small business invoices were overdue
Source: Sage data, via IT Brief UK
38
UK businesses close every day because of late payments
Source: UK government research, cited by ICAEW
£11bn
lost to the UK economy every year through late payments
Source: Sage report, via IT Brief UK
How it works
How invoice finance works
Three steps. No change to how you work with your customers.
01
Send your invoice as usual
Invoice your customer the way you do today. Then share the invoice with us.
02
Get most of the cash up front
We advance most of the invoice value into your account, so you can pay staff and suppliers on time.
03
Your customer pays, we settle the rest
When the invoice is paid, we send you the balance, minus our fee.
Your options
Invoice factoring or invoice discounting: which is right for you?
Both release cash from your invoices. The difference is who looks after collecting payment.
Invoice factoring
We chase payments for you
- We manage your sales ledger and credit control
- A good fit if you have a small finance team
- Your customers know we are involved
Invoice discounting
You stay in control
- You keep collecting payments from your own customers
- A good fit for established businesses with a finance team
- Can be confidential, so customers pay you as normal
Not sure which one suits you? Talk to our team.
What you get
Cash flow support that fits how you work
Cash in days
Release most of an invoice quickly instead of waiting 30, 60 or 90 days. [Speed to be confirmed]
Credit control, if you want it
With factoring, we chase payments so your team does not have to.
Confidential option
With invoice discounting, your customers can keep paying you as normal.
Accounting software link
Connect the software you already use. [Integrations to confirm]
Clear pricing
See the full cost before you sign. [Fee structure to be added]
Funding that grows with you
Your funding rises and falls with your sales, so it keeps up as you grow.
UK-based team
One named contact who knows your business. [Team details to be added]
Built around late payers
Cash flow cover for the customers who pay late, whatever the rules say.
Who we work with
Cash flow finance for businesses that invoice other businesses
If your customers pay you on terms, invoice finance can help.
Construction
Finance that works with applications for payment and retentions on longer jobs.
Wholesale and manufacturing
Pay suppliers and fund new stock without waiting on trade customers.
Recruitment and staffing
Pay your contractors every week, even when your clients pay every month.
Late payments
The Late Payments Bill: what it could mean for your cash flow
The UK government has put a Bill before Parliament to tackle late payment. It is not law yet. If it passes, it is expected to come into force in 2027.
Even then, up to 60 days is a long time to fund wages, rent and suppliers. Invoice finance gives you the cash now, whatever the rules say.
Full guide: [blog article to be linked]
What the Bill proposes
- A 60-day cap on payment terms between businesses
- Mandatory interest on late payments, at 8% above the Bank of England base rate
- Stronger powers for the Small Business Commissioner to investigate and fine persistent late payers
Sources: ICAEW (May 2026), Backhouse Solicitors.
Why Flowstead
Built to be trusted with your cash flow
The details that matter before you commit.
Regulated and transparent
[Regulator registration number and wording to be added by the real provider]
Your data is protected
[Security certifications and data protection wording to be added]
Real client results
[Case study: sector, problem and result. Add with a real client's permission]
FAQ
Invoice finance questions, answered
What is invoice finance?
Invoice finance lets you release most of the money tied up in unpaid invoices straight away, instead of waiting for your customers to pay. When they pay, you get the rest, minus our fee.
How quickly can I get paid?
Once you are set up, funds can reach you within [X] hours of raising an invoice. Set-up time depends on [your business and your customers].
Is invoice finance the same as a business loan?
No. A loan is a fixed amount you repay over time. Invoice finance is tied to your invoices, so the funding grows and shrinks with your sales. It also tends to look closely at how reliably your customers pay, not just at your own credit history.
How much does invoice finance cost?
You pay a fee on the money you draw, plus a service fee. Our rates are [fee structure to be added]. We show you the full cost before you sign anything.
Will my customers know I use invoice finance?
With invoice factoring, yes, because we handle payment collection. With confidential invoice discounting, no: your customers pay you as normal [confirm against final product terms].
Get started
Get your free invoice finance quote
Tell us a little about your business. We will reply within [X] working day with a clear quote and no obligation.
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