Independent ranking
Best UK business loans for transport and logistics with Time Finance
Independent UK lender rankings from desk research, post-decline options included. FundBiz does not run a credit check. Typical decision times vary by product and lender and are stated in the ranking below.
Start here · What do you need?
Time Finance names transport as one of its three core sector specialisms (alongside manufacturing and hospitality), and Close Brothers separately names transport and motor trade among its own specialisms, so the two overlap on exactly the vehicle and haulage profile this listicle covers. Our transport sector guide already names Aldermore and Time Finance directly as the specialists comfortable with vehicle classes mainstream banks avoid, and Paragon Bank carries the same transport specialism within its asset-finance book. This FundBiz ranking assesses 4 UK lenders for "best uk business loans for transport and logistics with time finance", weighting primarily on vehicle and hgv asset-finance specialism (30%), contract-revenue working-capital fit (20%), eligibility breadth (20%) (see the full weighted criteria below). Scores are our own desk-research assessment built from the FCA Register, Companies House filings and each lender's published product criteria, not customer reviews and not paid placement. Lenders don't pay for inclusion or rankings. If you send an enquiry, we pass it to a business finance broker, who pays us a fixed fee; you pay nothing.
Source: FundBiz methodology. Editorial by Best Business Loans Ltd (16833937).
Want the sector overview, cash-flow shape and typical decline reasons instead? See transport and logistics business finance →
Founder & Managing Director, Muswell Rose, FundBiz
Adam is the founder and managing director of Muswell Rose and a founder of Best Business Loans Ltd, the company behind FundBiz. His background runs through commercial finance, mortgages and fintech, including as managing director of an invoice finance business. He oversees FundBiz's guides and lender reviews.
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Asset finance, invoice finance, vehicle finance · Not published overall; secured loans of £50k to £500k (its own figures) · Not published
Named sector specialism in transport, manufacturing and hospitality.
Our assessment: Decision speed: strong (not published).
Read full Time Finance review → -
Asset finance, invoice finance, commercial loans · £25k to £25m+ · 5 to 14 business days
Named sector specialisms in print, transport, manufacturing and motor trade.
Our assessment: Decision speed: average (5 to 14 business days).
Read full Close Brothers review → -
Asset finance, invoice finance, commercial mortgages · Not published for asset or invoice finance; commercial real estate loans of £3m to £100m (its own figures) · Not published
Named directly on our transport sector guide for vehicle classes mainstream banks decline.
Our assessment: Decision speed: average (not published).
Read full Aldermore review → -
Asset finance + commercial property + development finance · £25k to £25m · 5 to 15 business days
Sector specialism in transport, manufacturing and care within its asset-finance book.
Our assessment: Decision speed: average (5 to 15 business days).
Read full Paragon Bank review →
Side-by-side comparison
| Lender | Typical rate | Ticket | Decision | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time Finance | Bespoke | Not published overall; secured loans of £50k to £500k (its own figures) | Not published | Mid-ticket Ltds combining asset finance, invoice finance and vehicle under one lender |
| Close Brothers | Bespoke, quoted at offer | £25k to £25m+ | 5 to 14 business days | Established SMEs needing asset or invoice finance |
| Aldermore | Quoted per deal (not published) | Not published for asset or invoice finance; commercial real estate loans of £3m to £100m (its own figures) | Not published | Established Ltds wanting asset finance or invoice finance with a real bank |
| Paragon Bank | Bespoke | £25k to £25m | 5 to 15 business days | Asset finance for established Ltd companies |
Sources: each lender's own published product pages: Time Finance · Close Brothers · Aldermore · Paragon Bank. Figures change; confirm with the lender before you rely on one.
What is the best business loan for a UK transport or logistics company?
Time Finance names transport among its three core sector specialisms. Close Brothers separately names transport and motor trade, Paragon Bank names transport and care, and Aldermore is named directly on our transport sector guide for vehicle classes mainstream banks avoid.
How is a UK HGV or van fleet usually financed?
Vehicle asset finance (hire purchase or lease) against the vehicle itself, so ageing stock and driver-shortage exposure weigh less heavily than they would on an unsecured loan. Asset refinance can also release equity from vehicles a fleet already owns outright.
What rate should a transport business expect?
Pricing depends heavily on vehicle age, contract security and fleet size. As recorded in our lender reviews: Time Finance: bespoke. Close Brothers: bespoke, quoted at offer. Aldermore: quoted per deal (not published). Paragon Bank: bespoke. Lenders price each case individually, so confirm the cost on a real quote.
How fast can a transport business get a decision?
As recorded in our lender reviews: Time Finance: not published. Close Brothers: 5 to 14 business days. Aldermore: not published. Paragon Bank: 5 to 15 business days. Timings are the lenders' own or typical figures and depend on how complete your application is.
What stops a transport business getting finance?
Operator-licence concerns, weak resale valuations on aged vehicles, and heavy reliance on a single contract are the most common reasons a lender declines. A clean licence and a diversified contract book improve the odds materially.
How we ranked these
We weight vehicle and hgv asset-finance specialism (30%), contract-revenue working-capital fit (20%), eligibility breadth (20%), decision speed (15%), post-decline acceptance (15%). Rankings reflect our published editorial methodology, not any commercial arrangement. See our /methodology/ for the full basis.
Methodology weights
Weights specific to "Best UK business loans for transport and logistics with Time Finance":
- Vehicle and HGV asset-finance specialism30%
- Contract-revenue working-capital fit20%
- Eligibility breadth20%
- Decision speed15%
- Post-decline acceptance15%
Read the full methodology for how we score and rank the lenders we review.
Also considered
- Haydock Finance (hard-asset HGV and plant specialist)
Not for
Operators with active operator-licence concerns; single-contract concentration risk.
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