Close Brothers vs Haydock Finance: Which UK Business Loan Provider in 2026?
Close Brothers and Haydock Finance both score 4.2 of 5 in our 2026 UK review. Close Brothers runs a asset finance, invoice finance, commercial loans at Bespoke, quoted at offer with decisions in 5 to 14 business days; Haydock Finance runs a asset finance (hire purchase and lease) at Quoted at offer with decisions in 24 to 72 hours. The right answer depends on what you need: ticket band, time pressure, sector, and whether your trading history clears each lender's eligibility floor. Read both columns of the side-by-side, then read the "when X wins" sections below for the buyer-fit logic. If you want us to do the work, our two-minute quote form matches you against a UK lender panel without affecting your credit file.
Director, BestBusinessLoans
Oliver leads BestBusinessLoans's editorial reviews and methodology. With a background in UK commercial finance, he oversees lender research, rate verification and review independence.
Last reviewed: 8 May 2026
Side-by-side
| Close Brothers | Haydock Finance | |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | Asset finance, invoice finance, commercial loans | Asset finance (hire purchase and lease) |
| Founded | 1878 | 1980 |
| Ticket range | £25k to £25m+ | £5k to £500k |
| Typical rate | Bespoke, quoted at offer | Quoted at offer |
| Decision time | 5 to 14 business days | 24 to 72 hours |
| Soft search at quote | No (hard search) | No (hard search) |
| Limited companies only | No | No |
| FCA regulated | Yes | Yes |
| Companies House | 00195626 | 01526882 |
| Best for | Established SMEs needing asset or invoice finance; Print, transport, manufacturing, motor trade; Broker-introduced deals | Hard-asset HP and lease; Asset refinance for cash release; Sub-prime to prime asset deals |
| Overall rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Last reviewed | 2026-05-08 | 2026-05-08 |
When Close Brothers wins
- Genuine UK merchant bank with 145+ years of trading history.
- Multiple product lines under one underwriter (asset, invoice, commercial loans).
- Strong sector specialisms in print, transport, manufacturing and motor trade.
- PRA-regulated; FSCS deposit protection on linked savings products.
Best for
Established SMEs needing asset or invoice finance, Print, transport, manufacturing, motor trade, Broker-introduced deals.
Watch outs
- Broker-distributed, not self-serve.
- Headline rates not published; quoted at offer.
- Slower than fintech alternatives.
When Haydock Finance wins
- Forty-plus years in asset finance; deep underwriting bench.
- Strong on hard assets: HGV, plant, manufacturing, agriculture.
- Refinance product unlocks equity in owned assets.
- Excellent Trustpilot track record for the asset finance category.
Best for
Hard-asset HP and lease, Asset refinance for cash release, Sub-prime to prime asset deals.
Watch outs
- No published rates; broker-distributed pricing.
- No retail unsecured business loans.
- Direct applicants typically routed to broker channel.
FAQ
Close Brothers or Haydock Finance: which is the better UK business loan in 2026?
Close Brothers scores higher overall in our 2026 review at 4.2 of 5 versus 4.2 for Haydock Finance. That said, the right answer depends on what you trade and what you need. Close Brothers is the stronger pick for established smes needing asset or invoice finance, while Haydock Finance is the stronger pick for hard-asset hp and lease. If your business sits inside one of those use cases, ignore the headline rating and pick for fit.
What rates and ticket bands do Close Brothers and Haydock Finance offer?
Close Brothers runs a asset finance, invoice finance, commercial loans with tickets of £25k to £25m+ at Bespoke, quoted at offer. Haydock Finance runs a asset finance (hire purchase and lease) with tickets of £5k to £500k at Quoted at offer. Decision time on Close Brothers is 5 to 14 business days; on Haydock Finance it is 24 to 72 hours. Headline rates rarely match the offered rate, so verify on the lender site before committing, and assume bespoke pricing above £100k where the data allows it.
Eligibility: Close Brothers vs Haydock Finance, who qualifies?
Close Brothers is a hard-search lender (footprint visible to other credit checkers) and accepts sole traders and partnerships as well as Ltd companies. Haydock Finance is hard-search at quote and accepts sole traders and partnerships as well as Ltd companies. Close Brothers is FCA regulated; Haydock Finance is FCA regulated.
Which is the wrong answer for what?
Close Brothers is the wrong answer for self-serve sub-£25k. Haydock Finance is the wrong answer for pure unsecured working capital. If either of those describes your business, look at the side-by-side table for the alternative, or get a quote from our UK lender panel and we will surface the right shortlist.
Can BestBusinessLoans help me choose between Close Brothers and Haydock Finance?
Yes. Our reviews are editorial; we run a UK lender panel via our /get-quotes/ form that includes both. Tell us monthly turnover, sector and what you need the money for. We match you against the lenders most likely to approve and beat your current cost, then route the application without affecting your credit file at quote stage.
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Get quotes →Reviewed by Oliver Mackman, Director. Last reviewed: 2026-05-08. Editorial by Best Business Loans Ltd (16833937).