WeDo Finance Review
WeDo Finance is an independent finance provider based in Oldham (WeDo Business Finance Ltd, company 11844897). Its invoice finance pays up to 90% of an invoice within 24 hours, with credit control included, and its trade finance FAQ states a £25,000 minimum facility and up to £2 million as a combined WeDo trade and invoice finance facility (WeDo invoice finance, WeDo trade finance FAQ). That low entry point makes it one of the more accessible providers for smaller businesses. It does not publish its rates.
What this page covers
This page covers
WeDo Finance invoice finance facility range, advance rate, pricing and accessibility for smaller businesses
Not covered here
Mid-market and bank facilities (see /providers/), general invoice finance education (see /guides/), sector pages (see /industries/)
Key Facts
When WeDo Finance Fits
-
New or small businesses with £100k-£500k turnover needing first invoice finance facility
The £25k minimum is among the lowest in the UK market. Most high-street and specialist providers start at £100k-£250k, making WeDo accessible for microbusinesses, startups, or those testing invoice finance for the first time.
-
Regional SMEs in Northwest England (Manchester, Lancashire, Yorkshire) seeking local relationship service
Oldham-based with understanding of regional business networks. Personal service model suits businesses that value face-to-face meetings and local decision-making rather than call-centre processing.
-
Manufacturing, distribution, or service businesses with £300k-£1.5m turnover outgrowing overdrafts
The £25k-£2m range covers typical growth phase where overdrafts become restrictive. Independent structure often means faster credit decisions than banking groups for mid-market facilities.
When to Look Elsewhere
-
Turnover above £3m needing facilities over £2m
Better fit: Close Brothers. Close Brothers offers facilities up to £100m+ and cross-product capability (asset finance, trade finance) that larger businesses often require.
-
Construction or recruitment agencies needing specialist sector expertise
Better fit: Sonovate. Sonovate built its platform specifically for recruitment and contractor payment flows, with faster onboarding for agency-specific invoice structures.
-
International businesses invoicing EU/US clients in multiple currencies
Better fit: HSBC Invoice Finance. HSBC handles multi-currency invoicing and international credit insurance through global banking infrastructure that independent providers cannot match.
How WeDo Finance Compares
| Provider | Type | Min facility | Fee from | Advance to | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultimate Finance | both | Not published | Not published | 95% | Up to 5 days |
| Pulse Finance | both | £200k | Not published | 90% | From 5 days |
| Skipton Business Finance | both | £100k | Not published | 90% | 5 days |
| Optimum Finance | both | £50k | 1.0% | 90% | 5 days |
vs Ultimate Finance: Ultimate publishes no minimum turnover, advances up to 95% and offers larger facilities, up to £10m, for growth-stage businesses.
vs Pulse Finance: Pulse requires a £200k facility and £1m turnover, so it sits above WeDo on size. Pulse publishes no rates, so the two can only be compared on quotes.
vs Skipton Business Finance: Skipton is building society-backed with Yorkshire roots but requires four times WeDo's minimum and focuses on established businesses with 2+ years trading.
vs Optimum Finance: Optimum starts higher, at a £50k minimum, and specialises in turnaround and distressed businesses that mainstream providers decline.
Illustrative worked example
Hypothetical: A Rochdale packaging distributor with £450k annual turnover
Not a real client. The charges are illustrative assumptions, not WeDo Finance's published rates; WeDo Finance quotes each facility individually. Monthly cost = £338 service charge (0.9% of £37,500) plus about £193 discount charge (7.25% a year on £31,875 drawn for a month, at the 3.75% Bank of England base rate).
Setting Up With WeDo Finance
- 1
Initial enquiry and turnover assessment
Contact WeDo with basic business details (turnover, sector, typical invoice values). Because the £25k minimum is so accessible, initial screening focuses on debtor quality rather than pure scale. Expect a phone conversation within 24 hours to discuss whether factoring or discounting suits your sales ledger.
- 2
Debtor book review and credit proposal
Submit 3-6 months of sales ledger, recent management accounts, and customer list. WeDo's underwriting assesses concentration risk (no single debtor over 30% is typical) and payment patterns. Independent structure often means quicker credit decisions than banking groups, typically 3-5 working days for straightforward cases.
- 3
Legal documentation and first drawdown
Standard factoring or discounting agreement (debenture over book debts, personal guarantees for directors). Legal process takes 5-7 days. WeDo can advance against approved invoices immediately after completion, with funds typically reaching your account same or next working day once the facility is live.
FAQs
Why is WeDo's £25k minimum lower than most providers?
Most invoice finance providers are either bank-owned (with institutional risk appetites favouring larger facilities) or have overhead structures requiring higher minimums to be profitable. As an independent with lower overheads and a focus on regional SMEs, WeDo can economically serve smaller facilities that larger providers decline.
This makes them particularly relevant for businesses with £100k-£500k turnover where a £25k-£100k facility is proportionate. The trade-off is a smaller maximum facility (£2m combined, versus £10m or more at some larger providers) and a more relationship-driven service model rather than digital platforms.
Does WeDo Finance offer selective invoice finance or only whole ledger?
WeDo primarily operates whole turnover facilities (traditional factoring and confidential invoice discounting) where they fund against your entire sales ledger. Selective invoice finance, where you choose which invoices to fund, is not a core product. If you only want to fund occasional large invoices or specific customers, providers like Ultimate Finance or Triver offer more flexibility.
WeDo's model suits businesses needing consistent working capital rather than ad-hoc funding, which keeps their costs and complexity lower for the target market of smaller SMEs.
What sectors does WeDo Finance typically work with at the lower end of their range?
At the £25k-£100k facility level, WeDo commonly works with light manufacturing, wholesale distribution, business services (marketing, IT support, consultancy), and trade contractors. They are less likely to fund construction subcontractors (retention and payment risk), recruitment agencies (specialist providers like Sonovate dominate), or startups without trading history.
The debtor base matters more than sector. Businesses invoicing other established UK businesses on 30-60 day terms fit better than those with consumer customers or very long payment cycles like local authorities.
How do WeDo's rates compare for a £50k facility versus a £500k facility?
WeDo does not publish a rate card, so the only reliable comparison is a quote for each size. Across the market, the service charge (a percentage of invoices financed) tends to fall as the facility grows, while the discount charge (interest on the cash drawn, set as a margin over base rate) depends mainly on the quality of your debtor book. So in percentage terms a small facility usually costs more than a large one; the illustrative example above shows how the two charges combine for a smaller facility.
Our Verdict
WeDo Finance is an excellent option for smaller businesses that need invoice finance from as little as £25k. The low entry point and facilities up to £2m mean they can support businesses through early growth stages. The Oldham base gives them strong North West connections, but they serve businesses across the UK. One of the best choices for micro-businesses and startups needing accessible invoice finance.
Official site: WeDo Finance
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.
Last updated: