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033 0173 5816Contact us

ESG Lending

With UK government plans to reach net zero by 2050, it is more important than ever to have an experienced asset finance provider to assist with the funding of the transition to net zero.


Our specialist ESG lending team are experts in green and sustainable lending, with significant experience of putting together tailor-made finance agreements that support and grow your business, including supporting sustainable technologies such as hydrogen solutions, solar energy systems, and EV charging infrastructure.


They understand the challenges that can be faced when trying to fund a new ESG project, including high set up costs and delayed cash flow, that can make it difficult to raise the necessary capital to support growth plans.


Our process is simple but effective – our ESG lending team will work closely with you to create a finance agreement that works for you. Leveraging our partnerships with OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers), EPCs (Engineering, Procurement and Construction), installers, expert legal panels, and technical consultants, we can provide receivables-backed finance, corporate finance, and asset finance.


Using our specialist knowledge, we will guide you through the application process, enabling you to take full advantage of the benefits of asset finance including Hire Purchase, Finance Lease, Operating Lease, Receivables Finance and Refinance packages.


Get in touch with our ESG lending team today.

Typical assets we can fund include:

  • Vehicle charging infrastructure
  • Electric Vehicles
  • Commercial rooftop solar
  • Battery storage
  • Electrolysers
  • Compressors
  • MEGCs
  • LED lighting




 

Contact us today

033 0173 5816

Lines are open:
9:00am - 5:00pm Monday to Friday (excluding UK bank holidays)

Finance products we can offer for ESG lending

Unlock liquidity by selling the value of future cash flows

Receivables Finance lets businesses unlock cash tied up in future payments from existing contracts or agreements, allowing you early access to working capital to keep operations running smoothly.


Agreement types include:


  • Energy service contracts
  • Power purchase agreements
  • Managed Service agreements


How it works


We purchase both the assets and the overall value of the contract, and you make repayments calculated in line with your cash flow, giving you access to the cash earlier than you otherwise would have.

Advantages of Receivables Finance:

  • Recoup the initial outlay: By selling the contract, you can recoup any investment you have made in the services provided which can help maintain business cash flow
  • Access the contract’s profits early to reinvest: If you are looking to grow and develop your business further – by releasing the capital from future contracts earlier - you can reinvest those profits back into your business


Products and services are subject to eligibility, status, terms and conditions and availability. All lending is subject to status and our lending criteria. The right to decline any application is reserved.


Used when you want to own the asset outright at the end of your agreement


Hire Purchase (HP) allows you to buy the equipment on credit. The finance company purchases the asset on your behalf and owns the asset until the final instalment is paid, at which point you are given the option to buy it.


Click here to find out more about Hire Purchase.

Advantages of Hire Purchase:


  • More time to repay: By spreading the cost over the life of the asset, a benefit is that you can lower the initial up-front payment. This matters because it gives you a long-term view of the fixed monthly payments you will need to make over the term of the agreement, which – in turn- helps you with your budgeting
  • Seasonality: If your business – like many others – has busy times and less busy times throughout the year, your monthly repayments can be adjusted in line with your sales peaks and troughs. For example, during the lead into the festive season your sales volumes might peak, but in the month or two after New Year, they fall back
  • Keep control: With Hire Purchase, you're in charge. You get full use of the asset throughout the repayment period and may even claim capital allowance. Capital allowance is a type of tax relief that businesses can claim when they spend money on long-term assets for use in the business. You can deduct some or all of the value of the asset from your taxable profit
  • Tax efficient: Financing your asset purchase through Hire Purchase can be tax-friendly because lease payments are treated as expenses, offering potential tax benefits compared to standard loans. Although asset depreciation also provides tax benefits, the useable lifetime of the asset will vary depending on the asset and on local regulation
  • Reclaim VAT: If you're VAT registered, you may reclaim VAT. For details on VAT registration, visit gov.uk/vat-registration/overview


Finance is secured against the asset and/or equipment. If you're unable to keep up with your payments we may repossess the asset and/or equipment.


Products and services are subject to eligibility, status, terms and conditions and availability. All lending is subject to status and our lending criteria. The right to decline any application is reserved.


Click here to view our full product brochure.

Release money tied up in your business's assets


Refinancing or capital release, as it’s also known, is a proven way to make your assets work for you and release cash back into the business. It works by the finance company purchasing the asset and financing it back to you, with repayments calculated in line with the income the asset is expected to generate; at the end of the refinance term, you own the asset.


This offers several benefits to a business that just needs a cash injection, whether it’s for investment in additional business-critical assets or to use in other areas of the business, including unexpected bills and invoices, salaries, VAT payments, diversification - the uses are almost endless. 


Funders can also look to take over a finance agreement with another provider and extend the term, ultimately reducing monthly payments and easing the pressure on cash flow.


Click here to find out more about Refinance.

Advantages of Refinance:

  • Get more cash easily: Asset refinancing is a quick and simple way to get extra money for your business needs. You get to keep using the asset you put up as security.
  • Pay over a longer time: We can take over your current financing deal with another company and extend the time you have to pay. The costs are fixed, so there won't be any surprises while you're repaying the loan.
  • Choose what's best for you: Use the cash injection for your business or buy other things you need. It's more flexible than some other financing options.
  • Decide quickly: Getting cash from your assets helps you make faster decisions when dealing with business contracts. Use the money for hiring people, buying new things, or expanding your workspace.


Finance is secured against the asset and/or equipment. If you're unable to keep up with your payments we may repossess the asset and/or equipment.


Products and services are subject to eligibility, status, terms and conditions and availability. All lending is subject to status and our lending criteria. The right to decline any application is reserved.


Click here to view our full product brochure.

For those businesses that want to use an asset but not own it at the end of an agreement


The full value of the equipment is repaid to the finance company, plus interest, over the lease period. At the end of the term, you can choose to:


  • continue to use the asset by entering a secondary rental period
  • sell the asset and keep a portion of the income from the sale
  • return it 


Click here to find out more about Finance Lease.

Advantages of Finance Lease:


  • Get what you need without a big upfront cost: You can quickly get the equipment you want without paying a large sum upfront. Instead, payments are broken into monthly instalments.
  • Customise payments to match your cash flow: Work with us to adjust the rental payments and lease periods to match how and when money comes into your business.
  • Earn money back: If you decide to sell the equipment at the end of the lease, you will get money from the sale.
  • Tax Benefits: If your business is VAT registered, you only pay VAT on the monthly rental payments, not on the entire purchase price. This helps reduce your taxable profit, potentially saving you money on taxes. If your business is not VAT registered, you can spread the VAT cost by including it in your monthly rental rather than paying it as a one-off payment.
  • For more information on VAT registration, please visit gov.uk/vat-registration/overview


Finance is secured against the asset and/or equipment. If you're unable to keep up with your payments we may repossess the asset and/or equipment.


Products and services are subject to eligibility, status, terms and conditions and availability. All lending is subject to status and our lending criteria. The right to decline any application is reserved.


Click here to view our full product brochure.

Rent the asset while you need it


Similar to a Finance Lease, an Operating Lease allows you to rent the asset from the asset funder while you need it. The key difference between the two is that an Operating Lease is only for part of the asset’s useful life.


This means you pay a reduced rental because the cost is based on the difference between the asset’s original purchase price and its residual value at the end of the agreement.


Click here to find out more about Operating Lease.

Advantages of Operating Lease:


  • Affordable start: Get the asset you need without a big upfront cost   
  • Complete usage freedom: Use the asset fully without buying it outright 
  • Flexible choices: Decide at the end of the term whether to re-rent, buy, or return the asset 
  • Lower payments: Rental cost is less because it's a percentage of the initial cost 
  • Cost savings: Reclaim VAT on rentals to reduce overall costs 


Finance is secured against the asset and/or equipment. If you're unable to keep up with your payments we may repossess the asset and/or equipment.


Products and services are subject to eligibility, status, terms and conditions and availability. All lending is subject to status and our lending criteria. The right to decline any application is reserved.


Click here to view our full product brochure.

  • Receivables Finance

    Unlock liquidity by selling the value of future cash flows

    Receivables Finance lets businesses unlock cash tied up in future payments from existing contracts or agreements, allowing you early access to working capital to keep operations running smoothly.


    Agreement types include:


    • Energy service contracts
    • Power purchase agreements
    • Managed Service agreements


    How it works


    We purchase both the assets and the overall value of the contract, and you make repayments calculated in line with your cash flow, giving you access to the cash earlier than you otherwise would have.

    Advantages of Receivables Finance:

    • Recoup the initial outlay: By selling the contract, you can recoup any investment you have made in the services provided which can help maintain business cash flow
    • Access the contract’s profits early to reinvest: If you are looking to grow and develop your business further – by releasing the capital from future contracts earlier - you can reinvest those profits back into your business


    Products and services are subject to eligibility, status, terms and conditions and availability. All lending is subject to status and our lending criteria. The right to decline any application is reserved.


  • Hire Purchase

    Used when you want to own the asset outright at the end of your agreement


    Hire Purchase (HP) allows you to buy the equipment on credit. The finance company purchases the asset on your behalf and owns the asset until the final instalment is paid, at which point you are given the option to buy it.


    Click here to find out more about Hire Purchase.

    Advantages of Hire Purchase:


    • More time to repay: By spreading the cost over the life of the asset, a benefit is that you can lower the initial up-front payment. This matters because it gives you a long-term view of the fixed monthly payments you will need to make over the term of the agreement, which – in turn- helps you with your budgeting
    • Seasonality: If your business – like many others – has busy times and less busy times throughout the year, your monthly repayments can be adjusted in line with your sales peaks and troughs. For example, during the lead into the festive season your sales volumes might peak, but in the month or two after New Year, they fall back
    • Keep control: With Hire Purchase, you're in charge. You get full use of the asset throughout the repayment period and may even claim capital allowance. Capital allowance is a type of tax relief that businesses can claim when they spend money on long-term assets for use in the business. You can deduct some or all of the value of the asset from your taxable profit
    • Tax efficient: Financing your asset purchase through Hire Purchase can be tax-friendly because lease payments are treated as expenses, offering potential tax benefits compared to standard loans. Although asset depreciation also provides tax benefits, the useable lifetime of the asset will vary depending on the asset and on local regulation
    • Reclaim VAT: If you're VAT registered, you may reclaim VAT. For details on VAT registration, visit gov.uk/vat-registration/overview


    Finance is secured against the asset and/or equipment. If you're unable to keep up with your payments we may repossess the asset and/or equipment.


    Products and services are subject to eligibility, status, terms and conditions and availability. All lending is subject to status and our lending criteria. The right to decline any application is reserved.


    Click here to view our full product brochure.

  • Refinance/Capital Release

    Release money tied up in your business's assets


    Refinancing or capital release, as it’s also known, is a proven way to make your assets work for you and release cash back into the business. It works by the finance company purchasing the asset and financing it back to you, with repayments calculated in line with the income the asset is expected to generate; at the end of the refinance term, you own the asset.


    This offers several benefits to a business that just needs a cash injection, whether it’s for investment in additional business-critical assets or to use in other areas of the business, including unexpected bills and invoices, salaries, VAT payments, diversification - the uses are almost endless. 


    Funders can also look to take over a finance agreement with another provider and extend the term, ultimately reducing monthly payments and easing the pressure on cash flow.


    Click here to find out more about Refinance.

    Advantages of Refinance:

    • Get more cash easily: Asset refinancing is a quick and simple way to get extra money for your business needs. You get to keep using the asset you put up as security.
    • Pay over a longer time: We can take over your current financing deal with another company and extend the time you have to pay. The costs are fixed, so there won't be any surprises while you're repaying the loan.
    • Choose what's best for you: Use the cash injection for your business or buy other things you need. It's more flexible than some other financing options.
    • Decide quickly: Getting cash from your assets helps you make faster decisions when dealing with business contracts. Use the money for hiring people, buying new things, or expanding your workspace.


    Finance is secured against the asset and/or equipment. If you're unable to keep up with your payments we may repossess the asset and/or equipment.


    Products and services are subject to eligibility, status, terms and conditions and availability. All lending is subject to status and our lending criteria. The right to decline any application is reserved.


    Click here to view our full product brochure.

  • Finance Lease

    For those businesses that want to use an asset but not own it at the end of an agreement


    The full value of the equipment is repaid to the finance company, plus interest, over the lease period. At the end of the term, you can choose to:


    • continue to use the asset by entering a secondary rental period
    • sell the asset and keep a portion of the income from the sale
    • return it 


    Click here to find out more about Finance Lease.

    Advantages of Finance Lease:


    • Get what you need without a big upfront cost: You can quickly get the equipment you want without paying a large sum upfront. Instead, payments are broken into monthly instalments.
    • Customise payments to match your cash flow: Work with us to adjust the rental payments and lease periods to match how and when money comes into your business.
    • Earn money back: If you decide to sell the equipment at the end of the lease, you will get money from the sale.
    • Tax Benefits: If your business is VAT registered, you only pay VAT on the monthly rental payments, not on the entire purchase price. This helps reduce your taxable profit, potentially saving you money on taxes. If your business is not VAT registered, you can spread the VAT cost by including it in your monthly rental rather than paying it as a one-off payment.
    • For more information on VAT registration, please visit gov.uk/vat-registration/overview


    Finance is secured against the asset and/or equipment. If you're unable to keep up with your payments we may repossess the asset and/or equipment.


    Products and services are subject to eligibility, status, terms and conditions and availability. All lending is subject to status and our lending criteria. The right to decline any application is reserved.


    Click here to view our full product brochure.

  • Operating Lease

    Rent the asset while you need it


    Similar to a Finance Lease, an Operating Lease allows you to rent the asset from the asset funder while you need it. The key difference between the two is that an Operating Lease is only for part of the asset’s useful life.


    This means you pay a reduced rental because the cost is based on the difference between the asset’s original purchase price and its residual value at the end of the agreement.


    Click here to find out more about Operating Lease.

    Advantages of Operating Lease:


    • Affordable start: Get the asset you need without a big upfront cost   
    • Complete usage freedom: Use the asset fully without buying it outright 
    • Flexible choices: Decide at the end of the term whether to re-rent, buy, or return the asset 
    • Lower payments: Rental cost is less because it's a percentage of the initial cost 
    • Cost savings: Reclaim VAT on rentals to reduce overall costs 


    Finance is secured against the asset and/or equipment. If you're unable to keep up with your payments we may repossess the asset and/or equipment.


    Products and services are subject to eligibility, status, terms and conditions and availability. All lending is subject to status and our lending criteria. The right to decline any application is reserved.


    Click here to view our full product brochure.

Meet the team

Andrew New -
Head of National Accounts & ESG Lending

Andrew is a highly experienced asset finance and leasing professional with over 25 years in the industry. Now leading ESG Lending at Close Brothers, he brings a wealth of expertise gained at some of the world’s most respected financial institutions, including ABN AMRO, Santander, GE Capital, and Lombard.

Andrew has a strong track record in business development, relationship management, and delivering innovative funding solutions to support clients’ sustainability and fleet decarbonisation goals.

Daniele Manzi, CFA -
Head of Sales – ESG Lending

Daniele brings over a decade of banking expertise to Close Brothers, where he leads ESG lending initiatives in hydrogen, electric vehicle infrastructure, solar, and building efficiency.

Daniele joined Close Brothers from Barclays Corporate & Investment Bank, where he built a strong foundation in commercial and structured finance. Daniele is a CFA charterholder and is currently studying for a Master’s in Sustainability Leadership for the Built Environment at the University of Cambridge.

Rupert Trusselle -
Relationship Manager – ESG Lending

Rupert is an experienced banking professional with a strong background in credit underwriting and client relationship management. Having joined Close Brothers in 2020, Rupert now focuses on ESG lending, supporting clients across sectors such as transport and green finance.

He holds a First-Class degree in Economics from the University of Nottingham and has a proven track record in structuring asset-backed funding solutions, financial analysis, and delivering tailored support to businesses.

Memberships


Close Brothers Asset Finance are members of Hydrogen UK

Close Brothers Asset Finance are members of the Hydrogen Energy Association

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ESG finance for sustainable technologies