Invoice finance in Southampton
CoreFi arranges invoice finance for Southampton businesses that invoice other companies on credit terms, releasing cash tied up in unpaid invoices. We are a broker comparing a whole-of-market panel, not a lender. The lender sets advances, fees and terms, and all figures we quote are indicative only.
Invoice finance turns unpaid invoices into working capital. For a Southampton business that sells to other companies on 30, 60 or 90 day terms, whether that is a haulier billing shipping lines out of the Western Docks, an engineering supplier to the marine trade, a recruiter placing staff across south Hampshire, or a wholesaler around Nursling, the cash is often stuck in the sales ledger just when payroll and suppliers need paying. Invoice finance advances a proportion of each invoice up front so the business is not waiting on its customers to keep trading.
CoreFi arranges this as a broker, not a lender. Factoring, invoice discounting and selective options all sit under this heading and differ in how much is advanced, who chases payment and how confidential the arrangement is. We help you work out which fits and take the requirement to a whole-of-market panel. The lender sets the advance rate, fees and terms; anything we quote beforehand is indicative only.
- 1
Tell us about your sales ledger
Share the basics: who your customers are, your typical payment terms, roughly your monthly invoicing, and how much of the cash you would like released earlier.
- 2
We match the right facility
We help you weigh factoring against confidential discounting or a selective option, then take the requirement to a whole-of-market panel and compare indicative advances and fees.
- 3
Set up the facility
Pick the option that fits and we help get it in place. The lender sets the advance rate, fees and terms and manages the ongoing facility with you.
Bridging long payment terms in port logistics
Businesses tied to the Port of Southampton often invoice large, slow-paying customers: shipping lines, freight forwarders, major retailers and manufacturers. A haulier or 3PL around Millbrook, Redbridge or Nursling can be paying drivers weekly and fuelling a fleet daily while waiting sixty days for a customer to settle. Invoice finance closes that gap by advancing against those invoices as they are raised. Because we work whole of market, we can compare facilities that suit the concentration and creditworthiness of a Southampton logistics operator's customer base rather than accepting a one-size quote.
Ledgers for marine, engineering and B2B suppliers
Marine refit yards, engineering firms and specialist suppliers across Woolston, the Itchen corridor and out towards Eastleigh and Fareham often carry a small number of high-value invoices to trade customers. That profile suits invoice finance, and sometimes a selective facility that funds only chosen invoices rather than the whole ledger. Recruiters and B2B service firms around the Southampton city centre and Ocean Village have the opposite shape, a broad spread of smaller invoices, which suits confidential discounting. We help each type of business find the structure that matches its ledger.
Choosing between factoring and discounting
The main choice is who manages collections and whether customers know a funder is involved. With factoring, the finance provider typically runs credit control and chases payment, which can suit a smaller Southampton firm without a dedicated finance team. With confidential invoice discounting, the business keeps control of its own collections and its customers need not know. Which is right depends on your customers, your team and how you want relationships handled. We talk this through and then compare the whole market, with the lender setting the final advance rate, service fee and terms.
Frequently asked questions
How much of each invoice can be advanced?
Lenders commonly advance a large proportion of each qualifying invoice, with the balance paid on settlement, but the exact rate varies by business and customer profile. Any figure we mention at the outset is indicative only; the lender decides.
Will my customers know I use invoice finance?
It depends on the facility. Factoring usually involves the funder in credit control, so customers are aware; confidential invoice discounting is set up so your customers need not know. We help you choose based on how you want relationships handled.
Is invoice finance suitable if I have only a few big customers?
It can be, though concentration in a small number of customers affects how a lender views the ledger and what they will advance. A selective facility that funds chosen invoices is sometimes a better fit, and the lender assesses this.
Does CoreFi provide the funding?
No. CoreFi is a broker. We arrange invoice finance across a whole-of-market panel and help you compare, but the lender provides the facility, sets the terms and manages it.
What does invoice finance cost?
Costs usually combine a service fee and a discount charge on the funds advanced, and vary by provider and by your ledger. Any pricing we mention up front is illustrative only; the lender sets the actual fees and terms.
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