# Invoice & Bridging Finance Guides Source: https://www.cashbookfinance.co.uk/insights Last updated: 2026-10-26 Publisher: Cashbook Finance Limited > Evidence-led guides to invoice finance, factoring, discounting, bridging loans, costs and eligibility for UK businesses, written by Cashbook Finance directors. Cashbook Briefing · FCA-registered UK lender FRN 782472 ## Commercial finance, explained for decisions. Evidence-led guides on working capital, receivables, property-backed lending and trade - written to help you understand the decision, not sell you a headline rate. INV-2048 · Arden Health Group Illustration Cash received · this invoice A £50,000 invoice on 30-day terms - **Invoice value** £50,000 - **Paid to you, day 1–2** £45,000 - **When your customer pays** £4,000 Invoice value · £50,000 Illustrative: a 90% advance and a discount charge of about 2% of the invoice. Rates and advances vary by business, sector and customers. Check eligibility **£30m+** funded · **100+** UK businesses since 2019 · London SE1 - FCA **782472** - ICO **ZB545200** - Companies House **10723098** Featured guide · Invoice finance **Invoice finance costs, explained without the noise.** Understand service fees, discount charges and what actually drives pricing. Read the guide → ### Ask the guides a question. Answers come only from Cashbook Finance's published guides, with links to the pages used. General information - not advice, a quote or a credit decision. Please don't share personal or financial details here. For your own case, [check eligibility](https://www.cashbookfinance.co.uk/eligibility) or [talk it through](https://www.cashbookfinance.co.uk/book-call) with the team. Guide #### The complete guide to invoice factoring (without the jargon) How factoring works, what it costs, when it fits and how it compares with a business loan. Bjorn Laku Compare #### Factoring vs invoice discounting: which one fits your business? Compare collections, confidentiality, control, eligibility and operational fit. Bjorn Laku Discounting #### Invoice discounting in the UK: confidential cash from your ledger How confidential invoice discounting works and what a business must control well. Bjorn Laku Factoring #### Single invoice factoring: fund one invoice without a full-ledger facility When selective funding is useful and when a full facility is the better answer. Bjorn Laku Cash flow #### How invoice finance fixes the gap between invoicing and payment A practical view of using receivables funding for recurring working-capital timing. Bjorn Laku Costs explained #### Invoice finance costs explained Understand service fees, discount charges, minimums and the all-in cost at realistic utilisation. Bjorn Laku Check eligibility · About 2–3 minutes, no credit search. Cash flow #### Late payment and UK SMEs: practical cash-flow options How to reduce the damage from slow customers without mistaking earlier cash for stronger profit. Bjorn Laku Working capital #### Five working-capital advantages that keep a business moving Why liquidity, resilience and purchasing capacity matter as much as headline profit. Bjorn Laku Strategy #### Using invoice finance from start-up to scale-up How funding needs change as a B2B business wins customers, hires and grows turnover. Bjorn Laku Funding #### Funding facilities that can complement invoice finance Match recurring working capital, assets, stock and property needs to the right structure. Bjorn Laku Glossary #### Invoice finance jargon, decoded Plain-English definitions for advance rates, recourse, concentration, reserves and more. Bjorn Laku Myths #### Invoice factoring vs a business loan What the product does, what it does not do and where common assumptions fail. Bjorn Laku Check eligibility · About 2–3 minutes, no credit search. Recruitment #### Invoice finance for recruitment agencies Fund weekly payroll while end-clients settle monthly invoices. Bjorn Laku Sector #### Invoice finance for digital media agencies Manage project costs, contractor payments and long client terms without forcing a term loan onto a timing gap. Bjorn Laku Credit quality #### What makes a debtor ledger attractive to a lender Concentration, disputes, evidence and payment behaviour matter more than a single large invoice. Bjorn Laku Underwriting #### Why invoice finance applications are declined The practical weaknesses that prevent a ledger from supporting a reliable facility. Bjorn Laku Checklist #### Prepare for invoice finance: documents, controls and questions A maintained preparation pack for a more efficient review and a clearer cost comparison. Bjorn Laku Compare #### Recourse vs non-recourse invoice finance Who carries a customer’s bad debt, what cover excludes and how to choose. Bjorn Laku Check eligibility · About 2–3 minutes, no credit search. Sector #### Invoice finance for construction: CIS, retentions and applications for payment Applications, certification, CIS and retentions: what funders lend against. Bjorn Laku Guide #### CHOCs explained: client handles own collections A disclosed facility where your own team keeps chasing payment. Bjorn Laku Compare #### Supply chain finance vs invoice finance Buyer-led early payment against supplier-led funding you control. Bjorn Laku Guide #### Export invoice finance: funding invoices to overseas customers Overseas customers, credit insurance, currency and shipping evidence. Bjorn Laku Compare #### Asset-based lending vs invoice finance When one multi-asset facility helps, and when invoice finance is enough. Bjorn Laku Bridging #### What slows down bridging completion Valuation, title, legal response, exit evidence and borrower readiness determine speed. Bjorn Laku Check eligibility · About 2–3 minutes, no credit search. Bridging #### Bridging finance costs explained Understand interest, arrangement, valuation, legal and exit costs before committing. Bjorn Laku Compare #### Bridging finance vs development finance Match the facility to the works, monitoring requirements, duration and repayment route. Bjorn Laku Compare #### Bridging finance vs a commercial mortgage Choose between short-term speed and longer-term property debt based on the actual transaction. Bjorn Laku Bridging #### Bridging finance LTV: how the numbers fit together Separate value, gross facility, deductions, net proceeds and headroom. Bjorn Laku Bridging #### A bridge is only as strong as its exit Build an evidenced sale or refinance route with enough time and a credible fallback. Bjorn Laku Bridging #### The valuation is not a formality Prepare the property, documents and evidence that anchor the security decision. Bjorn Laku Check eligibility · About 2–3 minutes, no credit search. Bridging #### Auction bridging finance: buying property at auction. Exchange on the hammer, completion in about 28 days: what to arrange first. Bjorn Laku Bridging #### Refurbishment bridging finance: light and heavy works. Light and heavy works, staged drawdowns and a credible exit. Bjorn Laku Compare #### Regulated vs unregulated bridging loans. The occupation test, what changes for borrowers, and which loans we provide. Bjorn Laku Bridging #### VAT bridging loans for commercial property. Funding the VAT on a commercial purchase until HMRC repays it. Bjorn Laku Bridging #### Bridging loans for limited companies and SPVs. Guarantees, ownership checks, documents and planning the exit. Bjorn Laku Glossary #### Bridging finance terms, explained Plain-English definitions for LTV, gross and net loan, retained interest and open and closed bridges. Bjorn Laku Compare #### Invoice finance vs a business loan: which fits the gap? Compare repayment, security, speed and how each copes with growth. Bjorn Laku Compare #### Invoice finance vs an overdraft: which handles cash flow better? Compare limits, cost, flexibility and what happens as sales grow. Bjorn Laku Compare #### Selective or full-ledger funding: which suits your invoices? One-off invoices or the whole ledger: cost, commitment and control. Bjorn Laku Compare #### Trade finance vs invoice finance: before or after the sale? Supplier payments against confirmed orders, or invoices already raised. Bjorn Laku Prefer to talk it through? A director will happily walk you through the right option for your business. Practical tools ### Move from reading to a decision. #### Compare invoice-finance routes See discounting, factoring, selective finance, timesheet finance and trade finance side by side. [Compare products](https://www.cashbookfinance.co.uk/invoice-finance#comparison) #### Find a likely funding fit Use five short questions to narrow the most relevant route. [Start selector](https://www.cashbookfinance.co.uk/eligibility) #### Understand pricing Review the factors that influence structure and indicative terms. [Pricing and decisions](https://www.cashbookfinance.co.uk/pricing-decisions) #### Explore case studies See illustrative examples of payroll, stock, project and property timing gaps. [View case studies](https://www.cashbookfinance.co.uk/case-studies) Check eligibility · About 2–3 minutes, no credit search. ### Compare the route before applying. Comparison #### Invoice Finance vs Overdraft Compare invoice finance and overdrafts for UK businesses dealing with late customer payments and working-capital pressure. Comparison #### Invoice Finance vs Business Loan Compare invoice finance and business loans for UK companies funding cash-flow gaps, growth, payroll or supplier pressure. Comparison #### Invoice Factoring vs Invoice Discounting Compare invoice factoring and invoice discounting, including collections, confidentiality, control and suitability. Comparison #### Selective vs Full-Ledger Invoice Finance Compare selective invoice finance with full-ledger invoice finance for one-off invoices, repeat funding and working-capital planning. Comparison #### Trade Finance vs Invoice Finance Compare trade finance and invoice finance for supplier payments, stock purchases and customer invoices. Comparison #### Bridging Finance vs Development Finance Compare bridging finance and development finance for property purchases, refurbishment, timing gaps and construction projects. Check eligibility · About 2–3 minutes, no credit search. - [**Why Invoice Finance Applications Are Declined** Practical reasons invoice finance applications fail, from weak debtors to disputed invoices and poor delivery evidence. Read](https://www.cashbookfinance.co.uk/insights/why-invoice-finance-applications-are-declined) - [**What Slows Down Bridging Completion** Common causes of bridging finance delay, including valuation, title, exit route, solicitor response and LTV pressure. Read](https://www.cashbookfinance.co.uk/insights/what-slows-down-bridging-completion) - [**What Makes a Debtor Ledger Attractive** What lenders look for in a debtor ledger for invoice finance, including concentration, evidence, payment history and disputes. Read](https://www.cashbookfinance.co.uk/insights/what-makes-a-debtor-ledger-attractive) Check eligibility · About 2–3 minutes, no credit search. ### Move from question to decision without searching the whole library. Invoice finance #### Mechanics, cost and suitability - [Product guide](https://www.cashbookfinance.co.uk/invoice-finance) - [Costs](https://www.cashbookfinance.co.uk/insights/invoice-finance-costs-explained) - [Declines](https://www.cashbookfinance.co.uk/insights/why-invoice-finance-applications-are-declined) Bridging finance #### Security, valuation and exit - [Product guide](https://www.cashbookfinance.co.uk/bridging-finance) - [Valuation](https://www.cashbookfinance.co.uk/insights/bridging-finance-valuation-guide) - [Exit strategy](https://www.cashbookfinance.co.uk/insights/bridging-finance-exit-strategy-guide) Trade and working capital #### Supplier funding and cash conversion - [Trade finance](https://www.cashbookfinance.co.uk/trade-finance) - [Trade vs invoice](https://www.cashbookfinance.co.uk/insights/trade-finance-vs-invoice-finance) - [Working capital](https://www.cashbookfinance.co.uk/insights/working-capital-benefits) Check eligibility · About 2–3 minutes, no credit search. --- Cashbook Finance. Cashbook Finance Limited is registered with the Financial Conduct Authority under Firm Reference Number 782472. Company number 10723098. Registered office: Cumberland House, 24–28 Baxter Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS2 6HZ. Registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office under reference ZB545200. All finance is subject to eligibility, satisfactory due diligence, credit approval and agreed terms. Invoice finance, trade finance and bridging finance may not be suitable for every business. The availability, structure, amount, pricing, fees, security requirements and completion timescales of any facility will depend on the applicant’s circumstances, the quality of the supporting evidence provided and our assessment of the proposed transaction. Any figures, examples, rates or timescales shown on this website are for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute an offer, commitment or guarantee of finance. Terms and conditions apply. Bridging finance is secured against property. Your property may be repossessed if you do not maintain repayments on a loan secured against it. Applicants should obtain independent legal, financial and tax advice where appropriate.