Self Employed
Car Finance
CarFinance 247 is a credit broker, not a lender.
Rates from 9.9% APR: the exact rate you will be offered will be based on your circumstances, subject to status.
Representative example: borrowing £10,000 over 5 years with a representative APR of 19.9%, an annual interest rate of 19.9% (Fixed) and a deposit of £0.00, the amount payable would be £255.50 per month, with a total cost of credit of £5,329.80 and a total amount payable of £15,329.80
We look to find the best product from our panel of lenders and will offer you the best deal that you’re eligible for. We earn a commission for providing our services, but this does not influence the interest rate you’re offered in any way.
Can you get car finance when self-employed?
Yes, we can help you find self-employed car finance! No matter your employment status, we’ll look to find you the best deal from our panel of lenders.
According to the Office of National Statistics, there are 4.2 million self-employed people in the UK (Aug 2021). And who could blame them? Flexible work schedules, picking and choosing the jobs you take, and being your own boss are just a few of the perks that come with self-employment.
But the trade-off for these freedoms can often be financial uncertainty. Unlike a 9-5 worker, you might not have a set payday and your salary could change every month. This unpredictability can make it tough for self-employed people to secure a car loan.
At CarFinance 247, we don’t believe that choosing a different career path should stop you from finding and funding your dream wheels. And if you’re looking for self-employed car finance, we could help!
Get a no obligation quote today.
Why is it hard to get car finance when you’re self-employed?
Finding car finance can be frustrating when you’re self-employed. Why? It’s all about uncertainty.
When you’re employed by a company and have a set salary, lenders have a good idea of how much money you’ll have and when.
Self-employment is a little more complicated; there are no guarantees. You might have some months when you’re working every day and all your invoices are paid on time, and others when projects move more slowly and you’re chasing late payments. That uncertainty can make some lenders more wary.
That’s why we work with a panel of lenders so we can help people with a range of employment circumstances find finance, including self-employed, temp, and agency workers.
Retired or unemployed and looking for a loan? We could still help!
How to prove your income if self-employed
Proving your income can be more difficult when you’re self-employed. The lenders we work with might ask you to provide three months’ worth of bank statements or invite you to use open banking, which can help lenders understand your incomings and outgoings.
If you plan to use your car for business or you’re a driving instructor or taxi driver, we can still help – just let your account manager know.
Self-employed with bad credit
You can still find car finance if you’re self-employed with bad credit. We understand that the unpredictable nature of working for yourself can make it tough to stick to rigid payment schedules sometimes. If you’ve missed payments or been refused finance in the past, it doesn’t have to be the end of the road.
We work with a panel of lenders including some that can help people with bad credit find a loan. This includes people with CCJs, defaults and IVAs, subject to approval.
How do I buy a car if I’m self-employed?
While it can be more difficult to find car finance when you’re self-employed, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible! At CarFinance 247, we work with a panel of lenders including those that can help self-employed drivers find finance to buy a new car. We’ll work hard to find you the best deal from our lending panel but there are a few steps you can take to increase your chances of securing a loan that’s right for you.
- Check your credit score
Regularly checking your credit score is a good habit to get into, especially when applying for car finance. You can check your score for free with each of the three UK credit reference agencies. This means you can get an idea of your financial information before you apply, and you can check your credit report for any mistakes or errors that could be affecting your score. If you’re looking to build your score, make sure to check out our guide to improving your credit score. - Prepare proof of income
As a self-employed worker, you might not have payslips to provide as proof of income. Instead, you’ll need to supply three months’ worth of bank statements or connect to open banking. It’s important to let your account manager know which items on your statements are related to work, especially if you have several employers. It could also be worth doing a quick banking admin check: cancel any non-essential subscriptions, review your monthly direct debits, and close any joint bank accounts shared with people with poor credit history. - Register on the electoral roll
One of the quickest and easiest steps to take when applying for car finance or improve your credit score is to get on the electoral roll. It’s free and allows you to confirm your name and address online. The electoral roll is one of the first things that lenders look at when assessing your finance application and being listed could help prove your eligibility for a loan. - Consider open banking
When you apply with CarFinance 247, you may be invited to opt into open banking. This gives lenders a valuable insight into your financial history and find out more recent information than the details available on your credit report. Open banking frees you from being restricted by your credit score and give lenders a fuller picture of your ability to afford and pay back a car loan. - Increase your deposit
If you have a deposit available, putting down a larger sum upfront can not only reduce the amount you need to borrow but also make it easier to find a loan. Don’t have a deposit saved? No problem. At CarFinance 247, we work with a panel of lenders including those that can offer no deposit car finance and it is possible to find self-employed finance without a deposit.
Self-employed van finance
If you need new wheels for work, we could help you find finance for a van. No matter whether you’re looking for a spacious Ford Transit or a speedy Volkswagen Caddy, our panel of lenders includes those who can offer van finance for people with a variety of different circumstances, including the self-employed. Just let your account manager know that you’re looking to finance a commercial vehicle.
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Self-employed motorbike finance
Prefer to travel on two wheels instead of four? Our panel of lenders also includes those who can provide motorbike finance. Whether you’re looking for a bike for work or want to go full throttle on the weekend, we have loan options available for motorcyclists with a range of circumstances.
Why come to us for car finance if you’re self-employed?
For us, used car finance is all about helping people improve their everyday lives.
Whether you need a car to commute to work, visit clients, or pick up the weekly shop, we’ll look to find you the best self-employed car finance deal from our panel of lenders.
Plus, you’ll have a dedicated account manager on hand to help you through the process, sort the paperwork, and speak to the dealership on your behalf.
What’s next? How to apply
It all starts with a quote. If you’re approved in principle, we’ll give you a call to talk through your options. Your account manager can answer any questions you have and grant you access to our car search – a treasure trove of over 100,000 used cars ready and waiting to find a home. Found a vehicle somewhere else? We can still help – just let your account manager know.
Frequently asked questions
There is no set minimum income that you need to get a car loan. Income is just one of the factors that lenders look at when deciding whether to approve you in principle. However, most lenders will run an affordability check to ensure that you’re not taking on an unsustainable level of debt. Affordability checks look at the amount of disposable income you have left after paying all your essential bills and the higher the amount left over, the more likely it is that you’ll be able to afford a monthly car payment.
When applying for self-employed finance with CarFinance 247, you’ll be asked to provide the following details and documents:
- Personal details including your full name, marital status, date of birth, and address history
- Employment details and history
- Estimated amount you’d like to borrow
- Email address and phone number
- Driving licence
- Proof of address
- Proof of income
When you apply for finance with CarFinance 247, we’ll run a soft credit search to find out if we can find you an approval in principle from one of the lenders on our panel. However, lenders will make a hard search on your credit score if you choose to proceed. Too many hard searches in a short time can negatively impact your credit score.
Yes! Here at CarFinance 247, we understand that if you’re self-employed or own your own business, you might not receive a payslip. The good news is that you can still secure a car loan without a payslip if you can provide proof of income another way. The lenders we work with will typically ask you to provide three months’ worth of bank statements or invite you to use open banking, which can give them a good idea of your incomings and outgoings.
Yes, in most cases, you will need proof of income to secure car finance. This is because lenders need reassurance that you’ll be able to cover your monthly repayments and still afford your everyday bills. In most cases, lenders will ask you to provide three months’ bank statements or to use open banking.
No. If you’re a freelancer or self-employed person, most lenders will not accept tax returns as proof of income and will ask you to supply three months’ bank statements or choose open banking instead. If you’re a sole trader and are applying on behalf of your business, then different terms and conditions will apply depending on the lender. Your dedicated account manager will be able to guide you through the process and any documents you need to supply to support your application, which may include tax returns or your latest trading accounts.
Yes! If you’re a freelancer and looking for finance to buy a car, we could help. Depending on your freelancing field, you could have a long-term contract with steady pay or have an income that fluctuates month to month. At CarFinance 247, we work with a panel of lenders including those who can help freelancers find a car loan. You will need to provide proof of income to show that you’ll be able to keep up with your repayments. We understand that some months you may earn more than others so it’s a good idea to check your past earnings for any seasonal trends and keep this in mind when applying.
The rate and terms you’ll be offered for self-employed car finance will depend on a range of factors including your credit score, how much you’d like to borrow and the car you’d like to buy. It’s not a one size fits all, which is why our team at CarFinance 247 are here to guide you through the process and find the deal that’s right for you.
Start with our bad credit finance calculator to get an estimate of what your monthly repayments might look like. Just select the bad credit banding and adjust the sliders until you choose the loan amount and term length that best suits you.
You can apply for finance if you’re over 18 years old and have a minimum of three years’ address history in the UK. If you’re self-employed, you may need to provide proof of income in the form of three months’ bank statements or connect to open banking.
At CarFinance 247, we can help you secure one of two main types of car finance:
- Hire Purchase – HP car finance is a loan that’s secured against your vehicle. You’ll pay fixed monthly repayments until you reach the end of the agreement and then you’ll own the vehicle.
- Personal Contract Purchase – With PCP car finance, you don’t have to own the vehicle at the end of your agreement. Instead, you can hand it back, trade it in as a deposit in a new deal or pay the balloon payment to buy it.
Yes, you can finance a van for commercial use. Your account manager can help you find a van that’s suitable for your work, whether you need something big enough to hold all your tools or nimble enough to navigate narrow rural roads.
CarFinance 247 works with a panel of lenders, which means we can help you find finance for a range of different vehicles, including used cars, vans, motorbikes, and motorhomes.
At CarFinance 247, we work with lenders can finance amounts between £2,000 and £100,000.
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Get in touch
Contact usUniversal Square,
Devonshire Street North,
Manchester,
M12 6JH,
* The UK's largest online car finance broker by unique users to the website. Based on Similar Web data – 851,826 to CarFinance 247 vs. 730,311 for nearest competitor. January to June 2022.
CarFinance 247 is a trading name of CarFinance 247 Limited. Registered office: Universal Square, Devonshire Street North, Manchester, M12 6JH. Registered in England. (Registration Number 06035525).
CarFinance 247 is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for insurance distribution and credit broking (Firm Reference Number: 653019). CarFinance 247 is registered with the ICO (Registration Number Z1897658).
Finance is subject to status and is only available to UK residents aged 18 and over. Written quotations are available on request.
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