If you run a haulage business, you already know the problem.
The work gets done, the load gets delivered, the invoice gets sent… and then you wait. And wait.
Meanwhile, the costs don’t stop. Fuel needs paying for now, not in 60 days. Drivers need wages every week. Maintenance, tyres, insurance, it all stacks up, whether your customers have paid you or not. For a lot of haulage businesses, it’s not the lack of work that causes stress, it’s the gap between doing the job and seeing the money land in the bank.
Cashflow Pressure Isn’t a Sign of a Bad Business
Long payment terms have become the norm across the industry. Standard payment terms in the UK often mean you might wait 30, 60 or even 90+ days before an invoice is settled, even though you’ve already delivered the service. Big customers often dictate the terms, and smaller operators are left absorbing the pressure. Even well-run, profitable businesses can find themselves juggling cashflow simply because they’re waiting to be paid for work they’ve already completed.
How Invoice Finance Fits the Reality of Haulage
That’s where invoice finance can genuinely change the day-to-day experience of running a haulage business.
Instead of sitting on unpaid invoices and hoping payments come in on time, invoice finance allows you to access the value of those invoices almost immediately. Once you raise an invoice, you can unlock a large percentage of it, usually up to 80–95% of its value, often within 24 hours. Giving you the cash you need to keep things moving. When your customer eventually pays, the balance is settled, minus an agreed fee.
What This Really Means in Practice is Breathing Space.
It means being able to cover fuel costs without stretching the overdraft. Paying drivers on time without worrying about what’s still outstanding. Taking on new work because cashflow allows it, not turning it down because too much money is tied up in invoices.
For some haulage businesses, invoice finance also takes the pressure off credit control. Depending on the setup, support can be available to manage collections, freeing up time that’s better spent running the business rather than chasing payments. For others, it can remain completely behind the scenes, keeping customer relationships exactly as they are.
Not a Last Resort, Just a Smarter Way of Getting Paid
Importantly, invoice finance isn’t about taking on unnecessary debt or fixing a failing business. It’s about unlocking money you’ve already earned, and making cashflow work in line with how the haulage industry actually operates.
If you’ve ever looked at a full order book and still felt cash-tight, you’re not alone. And in many cases, the solution isn’t working harder or longer, it’s simply getting paid sooner for the work you’re already doing.
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