Raise Invoice Finance Review
Raise is an independent invoice finance provider trading under the name of 1st PS Limited. With facilities from £100,000, they offer factoring and invoice discounting to UK businesses. Their independent model provides direct access to decision-makers and flexible terms that can be structured around individual business circumstances.
Raise is an independent UK invoice finance provider trading as 1st PS Limited, offering factoring and discounting from £100,000 with advance rates around 85% and service charges from 0.6%. More detail + scope
This page covers
Raise invoice finance products, legal entity, minimum facility, advance rate and pricing
Not covered here
General invoice finance education (see /guides/), sector pages (see /industries/), the full provider directory (see /providers/)
Key Facts
When Raise Invoice Finance Fits
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Manufacturing or distribution businesses turning over £500k-£5m with diverse debtor books
Raise's independent structure means faster credit decisions on individual debtors without high-street bank bureaucracy, particularly useful when you sell to a mix of large corporates and smaller regional buyers.
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Established service businesses (recruitment, engineering, facilities management) outgrowing their existing facility
The £100k minimum suits businesses at the point where peer-to-peer platforms become too small but big-bank minimums (often £250k+) feel excessive. Direct access to decision-makers speeds up limit increases.
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Businesses wanting confidential invoice discounting without a big-bank relationship manager structure
Independent providers like Raise typically offer more flexible confidential arrangements without cross-selling pressure for other banking products, and often maintain the same credit controller throughout the relationship.
When to Look Elsewhere
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Startups or businesses invoicing under £20k monthly
Better fit: Sonovate. Sonovate's sector-specific platforms (especially recruitment) work from lower invoice volumes and turnover bands.
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Businesses needing international debtor funding or multi-currency invoicing
Better fit: HSBC Invoice Finance. High-street banks have established overseas credit assessment teams and multi-currency ledger systems that most independents don't maintain.
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Construction or long-payment-term contractors wanting application-stage funding
Better fit: Secure Trust Bank. Secure Trust runs specialist construction finance including application and retention release, which pure invoice finance doesn't cover.
How Raise Invoice Finance Compares
| Provider | Type | Min facility | Fee from | Advance to | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IGF Invoice Finance | both | £2m (£5m+ turnover) | Not published | 90% | 5-7 days |
| Ultimate Finance | both | £50k | Not published | 85% | 3-5 days |
| Close Brothers Invoice Finance | both | Not published | Not published | 90% | 7-10 days |
vs IGF Invoice Finance: IGF operates as part of a larger asset finance group with cross-product synergies, whereas Raise focuses exclusively on invoice finance with no equipment finance arm.
vs Ultimate Finance: Ultimate publishes no minimum turnover and historically targets younger businesses, while Raise's £100k floor suggests focus on more established trading histories.
vs Close Brothers Invoice Finance: Close Brothers is a listed banking group with formal credit committees, whereas Raise's independent structure typically means fewer decision layers and faster bespoke adjustments.
Illustrative worked example
Hypothetical: A Nottinghamshire precision engineering firm with £1.2m turnover supplying automotive and aerospace sectors
Not a real client. The charges are illustrative assumptions, not Raise's published rates; Raise quotes each facility individually. Monthly cost = £600 service charge (0.6% of £100,000) plus about £514 discount charge (7.25% a year on £85,000 drawn for a month, at the 3.75% Bank of England base rate).
Setting Up With Raise Invoice Finance
- 1
Initial enquiry and debtor list submission
Raise will ask for your last 12 months of management accounts, aged debtor report, and a list of your top 20 customers by value. Independent providers typically request direct conversations with directors at this stage rather than form-only applications.
- 2
Credit assessment and facility proposal
Raise conducts credit checks on your main debtors and reviews your trading history. Because they are independent, the proposal can include non-standard terms (for example, higher advances on specific blue-chip debtors or sector-adjusted discount margins) without needing group-level approval.
- 3
Legal documentation and funding commencement
You'll sign a master agreement with debenture (security over book debts) and complete any debtor notifications if using factoring. Setup typically takes 10-14 days from acceptance. Raise will establish your funding line and begin advancing against approved invoices.
FAQs
What makes Raise different from using Lloyds or Barclays invoice finance?
Raise is independent, meaning no branch network overheads and direct access to the people making credit decisions. High-street banks often require you to move your current account and offer invoice finance as part of a wider banking relationship. Independents like Raise focus solely on invoice finance, which can mean more flexible debtor concentration limits and faster responses when your customer mix changes. However, banks may offer slightly lower rates if you bundle products.
Can Raise fund invoices to overseas customers?
Most independent invoice finance providers, including Raise, focus on UK debtors because overseas credit assessment requires either international credit agency relationships or correspondent arrangements. If more than 20% of your turnover goes overseas, you would typically need a provider with dedicated export factoring capability (such as HSBC Invoice Finance or Bibby Financial Services, which operate in multiple countries). Raise can often still fund the UK portion of a mixed debtor book.
What happens if one of my customers goes into administration?
Under a recourse agreement (the standard structure), you remain liable for the debt. Raise will reverse the advance and deduct it from your available facility. The bad debt sits back on your balance sheet, and you deal with the administrator directly. Some providers offer non-recourse (bad debt protection) as a paid add-on, typically costing an extra 0.15-0.40% of invoice value. Check whether Raise includes credit insurance or offers it as an option during setup.
How quickly can Raise increase my facility if I win a large contract?
Independent providers generally respond faster than banking groups because they have fewer approval layers. Raise would need to credit-assess the new debtor and review your capacity to fulfil the contract. If the new customer is a known corporate with strong credit, an increase can be agreed in 3-5 working days.
If it's a new debtor or a significant step-up in concentration, expect 1-2 weeks for due diligence. Always notify your provider before signing contracts that materially change your debtor profile.
Our Verdict
Raise is a capable independent provider for businesses needing £100k+ invoice finance facilities. The direct decision-making and flexible structuring are typical advantages of the independent sector. A sensible inclusion on your shortlist alongside bank and other independent quotes.
Founder & Managing Director, Muswell Rose, founder and PSC of Best Business Loans Ltd
Adam is the founder and managing director of Muswell Rose and a founder of Best Business Loans Ltd, the company behind Market Invoice. He spent over three years as managing director of Penny, a UK invoice finance business, and his career runs through insurance, mortgages, commercial finance and fintech lending. He writes the Market Invoice library.
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