Key strategies for managing construction cash flow

Supercharge cash flow
Leverage your invoices for instant cash and quickly improve your business's financial position.
Forget about Net 30
Penny makes next day payments possible. We fund your business upfront and wait for your customers to pay.
Assets stay protected
Enjoy invoice collection support from our experienced team of credit control and commercial payments specialist.
What is cash flow funding?
Managing company cash flow is arguably one of the most challenging aspects of running a business.
It’s a universal concern for business owners, and research from Xero reveals 94% of small businesses in the UK face at least one month of negative cash flow each year.
Cash flow funding is a solution that exists to help businesses manage outflows and meet financial obligations when periods of shortfalls occur.
CASH FLOW FINANCE UK
Penny's unique cash flow solution
In the UK, one of the biggest causes of cash flow problems is unpaid and late payments.
Our cash flow funding solution is designed to mitigate payment issues and provide SMEs with instant access to cash owed in outstanding invoices.
Instead of waiting weeks or months for your invoices to be settled, you can submit them to Penny and receive the full amount the very next day.
Essentially, we offer a simplified model of selective invoice finance, which eliminates the hassle and stress that tends to come with traditional facilities.
Invoices are advanced in 24 working hours with no ongoing commitment or paid subscription plan required. Just one small fee each time you need a cash flow boost.
Business entity
Limited Company or Sole Trader
HMRC registered
& based in England or Wales
B2B invoices
For delivered goods / completed work
How does the Penny platform support cash flow?
When working capital dips, business cash flow financing provides quick access to funds to cover immediate expenses.
There are so many reasons why a small business may experience a squeeze in cash from time to time. Seasonal fluctuations, market volatility, unfavourable payment terms, growing purchase orders - the list goes on. Despite cash flow issues often being associated with poor financial management, the reality is that many financial problems are caused by external factors, and even profitable, growing businesses suffer shortages from time to time. With cash flow funding, you can: - Meet expenses like rent, utilities and payroll on time - Finance important purchase costs - Take advantage of growth opportunities without delay - Maintain positive relationships with customers and suppliers - Avoid interest charges / late payment fees
01
Submit invoice
Upload an invoice for factoring through your account portal
02
Track status
Penny contacts your customer to validate invoice details
03
Withdrawal confirmed
Invoice verified with your debtor and factoring agreement approved
04
Get paid
Receive the total value* of your invoice within 24 working hours
*Total invoice value minus Penny's processing fee. Average fee on a 30-day invoice is 5.1% +VAT.
Discover business cash flow finance that gives you control
Less financial risk
Pursuing funding may seem risky for a company with cash flow problems, and often it is. Penny's cash flow funding solution is inherently lower risk.
Your money, just faster
Unlike a cash flow loan, Penny provides an advance on the cash your business has already made through delivered goods / completed work.
3hr lending decisions
Although many users integrate Penny to their long-term cash flow solution, no long-term commitments are required.
KNOWLEDGE HUB
Get help with managing small business cash flow:
FAQs
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What types of businesses can use Penny?Sole Traders and Limited Companies registered in England and Wales.
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Are my invoices eligible for financing?Your invoices could be eligible for financing if they meet the below criteria: B2B invoices for completed work and/or delivered goods Minimum invoice value of £500 Maximum invoice value of £200,000
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Do you require accounts/bank statements?No, unlike the majority of other UK lenders, we do not ask for business account records or bank statements. Our model of invoice finance utilises technology to provide fast funding, and all we need from you is: Submitted invoice Debtor contact details (email or mobile) to verify the submitted invoice
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What is the difference between a Penny and Penny Plus account?A Penny account is a free member profile that gives you complete access to our selective invoice finance product. You can register your profile online in just a couple of minutes, and after completing Identity Verification, you can begin submitting invoices for funding straight away. Penny Plus will become our paid monthly subscription service, however this is still under development and not currently available.
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What is invoice finance?Invoice finance is an umbrella term for funding that enables businesses to borrow money against the amounts due from their customers. Lenders offering this model of finance advance a percentage of the requested invoice value, in return for a small fee. The main types of invoice finance include invoice factoring, invoice discounting and selective invoice finance.
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How does invoice financing work with Penny?Penny offers selective invoice finance, driven by technology. Unlike traditional models of financing, our UK spot factoring solution offers businesses a streamlined experience without requiring long-term commitments or lengthy paperwork. Penny is unique in that it has been developed for inclusivity, helping traditionally underserved business types (sole traders, micro-businesses etc.) accelerate cash flow with payment terms that benefit their growth. With flexibility at the core, we give businesses a centralised platform to select and advance invoices with ease. Leveraging technology, we provide real time data so that Penny users can check the status of their invoices at any time, providing decisions in under three hours. Once the invoice details have been verified, Penny pays 100% of the invoice value into the registered business bank account, minus a small fee.
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Who can I invoice with Penny?Penny advances B2B invoices to Limited Companies. In some circumstances we may be able to consider other business entities, please contact us to discuss your needs.
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Can I retain credit control for submitted invoices?At Penny, we take responsibility for collecting payment from your customers. Relinquishing credit control enables you to receive the total invoice value upfront, and reduces time spent within your business on payment processes.
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What happens if I have already invoiced a client myself?You will need to raise a new invoice through Penny. After setting up your account, your account manager will advise you on how to credit note the original invoice with your debtor.
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Can I use Penny to pay my bills? (Also known as reverse invoice financing)No, we only facilitate forward invoice financing on goods / services supplied.
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What contact information do you need for my customer?When you are completing your customer's details, it is best to provide contact details of a member of the accounts team if possible, rather than a generic accounts email address. This expedites validation of the invoice, so you get paid faster.
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Can I invoice my own company, or a company within my group?No, you can not have any business interest in the company you are invoicing.
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What is the Penny Quick Quote tool?Our Quick Quote tool is featured within your account dashboard under 'Get Started'. To use it, simply enter your customer's company name and we'll run a couple of quick checks to confirm whether they're eligible. Bear in mind that Penny's algorithm looks at the most recent data available, so even if we can't offer invoice factoring on an invoice for a particular company today, that could change in the future.
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I got an approval with Penny Quick Quote, however my invoice has been rejected, why?The Penny Quick Quote tool only considers the invoice amount and the debtor (the company paying the invoice). However real-time decisions also look at other factors, including the terms and nature of the invoice. Please get in touch with a member from our client support team for more details.
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My invoice has been approved, what happens next?Once Penny has approved your invoice and it has been issued to your customer, a member of our team will quickly get in touch with them to validate the invoice and get your funds advanced. The wide majority of transactions are validated in under 3 hours, and paid out within 24 working hours.
Explore frequently asked questions about cash flow, funding and improving business liquidity: