Fastest Invoice Finance UK 2026
The fastest invoice finance provider in the UK is Ultimate Finance, completing setup in as little as 3 working days with same-day invoice funding once live. Close Brothers and Bibby follow at 5 days. High street banks are slowest at 10-15 days. We ranked all 85 UK providers by setup speed and ongoing funding speed.
Quick Reference
Direct Answer
The fastest invoice finance provider in the UK is Ultimate Finance, completing setup in as little as 3 working days with same-day invoice funding once live. Close Brothers and Bibby follow at 5 days. High street banks are slowest at 10-15 days.
Summary
We ranked all 85 UK providers by setup speed and ongoing funding speed. Ultimate Finance leads at 3 days (48-hour fast track available). Independent providers average 4.8 days vs 11.3 for banks. Once live, most providers fund individual invoices within 24 hours via CHAPS.
This Page Covers
All providers ranked by setup time and ongoing invoice funding speed, how to get set up faster, what documents to prepare, and what causes delays
Not Covered Here
Cost comparison (see cheapest guide), individual provider reviews, sector-specific guides
Providers Ranked by Speed
| # | Provider | Setup Time | Invoice Funding | Fast Track? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ultimate Finance | 3 days | Same day | Yes — 48hr |
| 2 | Close Brothers | 5 days | Same day | Case by case |
| 3 | Bibby | 5 days | Same day | Case by case |
| 4 | IGF | 5 days | Next day | Yes |
| 5 | Skipton | 7 days | Next day | No |
| 6 | Aldermore | 7 days | Same day | No |
| 7 | Novuna | 7 days | Same day | No |
| 8 | Secure Trust | 10 days | Same day | No |
| 9-12 | High street banks | 10-15 days | Next day | No |
How to Get Set Up Faster
The speed of setup depends more on YOU than the provider. Have these ready before you apply and you'll hit the shortest possible timeline:
- 1. Aged debtor report — current, showing all outstanding invoices by customer and age
- 2. Last 6 months bank statements — digital PDFs, not screenshots
- 3. Sample invoices — 3-5 recent invoices to show the format and terms
- 4. Customer list — names, addresses, estimated annual billing per customer
- 5. Latest accounts — filed or management accounts (startups: a cash flow forecast)
Missing any of these adds 2-5 days while the provider chases you for them. Have everything in a folder before you start the application and you'll get to first funding faster.
For a detailed timeline of the setup process, see our setup speed guide.
Oliver Mackman
Director, Market Invoice
Oliver leads Market Invoice's editorial and comparison research. With a background in UK commercial finance, he oversees provider analysis, rate verification, and industry reporting across all verticals.
Last reviewed: 5 April 2026