Invoice finance

Recruitment finance

For UK recruitment agencies placing permanent or temporary candidates. Up to 90% of invoice value, with timesheet management and credit control. UK and overseas debt, multiple currencies.

Apply for Recruitment financeInstant invoice quoteLearn moreOn qedfinance.com
Range
Agency-led
Term
Revolving with placements
Family
invoice
Search
Full market, one file

At a glance

  • Up to 90%
  • Timesheets & credit control
  • Temp and perm
  • UK & overseas

How it works

  1. 1Designed for UK agencies placing permanent or temporary candidates.
  2. 2Advance up to 90% of invoice value, typically within 24 hours.
  3. 3The provider can take timesheet management, payroll support and credit control.
  4. 4Works for UK and overseas debt, multiple currencies.
  5. 5A dedicated client manager handles day-to-day.

Who it’s for

  • UK recruitment agencies issuing credit to clients
  • Temp, perm or mixed books
  • Agencies that want back-office taken off their plate

Good to know

A handful of invoice-finance lenders specialise in this sector.

The facility grows with placements — useful when a new client ramps quickly.

One application with QED searches the full market. That saves you running the same file around several lenders, and it avoids multiple credit searches on the business and directors. A hard search is only placed when you proceed with a chosen lender.

Worked example — £1,200 invoice

  • £1,200.00 gross sales invoice (incl. 20% VAT)
  • 30-day credit terms offered to the customer
  • Funder advances 85% against invoices
  • Customer pays 22 days late
  • Service charge assumed at 2%

Day 1

With invoice finance

£0 — goods delivered, invoice raised

Without

£0

Day 2

With invoice finance

£1,020 in the bank (85% of £1,200)

Without

£0

Day 40

With invoice finance

Still £1,020 — invoice is 10 days overdue

Without

£0 — still waiting

Day 52

With invoice finance

£1,176 net after the advance is repaid and 2% charged

Without

£1,200 lands in one go

You had 85% of the money on day 2 — cash to buy the next job, pay staff or take a discount from suppliers. By day 52 you have £1,176 of the £1,200 (the 2% fee). Same numbers as qedfinance.com/how-does-invoice-finance-work.

You wait the full 52 days with nothing. Late payers freeze payroll, materials and the next contract. That is the cash-flow problem invoice finance is built to solve.

Documents QED will ask for

Same list as the attach-files section on the website application. Tick what you have when you apply; email the rest.

  • Last published accounts (full accounts, not abbreviated)
  • Latest management accounts if year-end is stale
  • Last 3 months’ business bank statements
  • Last month-end aged debtors report (summary)
  • Last month-end aged creditors report (summary)
  • Live customer names, addresses and contacts
  • Existing invoice-finance contract and latest statement (if refinancing)

FAQ

Drawn from qedfinance.com and the way the UK market actually underwrites these facilities.

Temp vs perm — does it matter?

Temp books (weekly/monthly timesheets) are the classic fit. Perm fees can be funded too, but concentration and clawback terms need to be clean.

Can it cover contractor payroll?

Yes. That is often the reason agencies take the line — pay contractors on Friday without waiting 30–60 days for the client.

What else does the provider do?

Many recruitment lines include timesheet management, contractor payroll support and credit control, plus a dedicated client manager. The facility grows with placements.

UK only?

Written for UK agencies, but UK and overseas debt in multiple currencies can sit on the line.

Is invoice finance only for struggling businesses?

No. The UK industry serves around 50,000 clients borrowing over £16 billion at any one time, from start-ups to multi-nationals. Growing companies use it because the facility grows with the sales ledger.

Will this affect my credit score?

Starting a search with QED does not place a hard search. Credit checks that can affect a score only happen when you proceed with a chosen lender.

Do my customers have to know?

It depends on the product. Invoice discounting is confidential. Factoring is usually disclosed (a notice of assignment on invoices), though a few UK providers offer confidential factoring.

Prefer a number first?

Run the same calculator that sits on the website, then apply if the shape looks right.

Open the calculator

QED is a broker, not a lender. A low credit score can limit options with some houses; a search with us does not place a hard search on the business or directors until you proceed with a chosen lender.