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Side Loader Finance

Spread the cost of a side loader forklift from £25,000 to £90,000 with flexible finance options. HP, lease, or contract hire, compare rates from 40+ lenders.

Can you finance a side loader?

Yes, side loaders are financed as a standard asset purchase, usually on hire purchase or a lease, with the machine itself acting as the security. UK prices typically run £25,000 to £90,000, and most deals are written over 24–72 months with a deposit of around 10–20%. Decisions typically take 24–48 hours. Used machines are financeable too, usually with a shorter term.

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2-minute application
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Typical Cost

£25k – £90k

Approval Speed

24–48 hours

Same-day for established businesses

Rates From

5.8% APR

What would a side loader cost per month?

£50,000
10%
60 months
9%
£0

Your estimate

Indicative only. Not a quote and not an offer of finance.

Pre-filled with a typical side loader price. Indicative only, not a quote.

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Finance options

Hire Purchase (HP)

Rate
From 6.3% APR
Term
24–72 months
Deposit
10–20%
Ownership
Yours at the end
Best for
Timber, steel and builders' merchants wanting to own the truck outright

Finance Lease

Rate
From 5.8% APR
Term
24–72 months
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Return or buy (balloon payment)
Best for
Tax-efficient, claim 100% of payments against profit

Contract Hire

Rate
From 6.9% APR
Term
36–60 months
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Return at end
Best for
Fixed monthly cost with servicing included for high-hour outdoor use

Representative example

On a purchase price of £50,000: a 10% deposit of £5,000, then 48 monthly payments of £1,055 at 5.9% APR representative (fixed). Total amount payable £55,640, including the deposit. The rate you are offered depends on your business and the asset.

What buyers actually specify

Guide prices for sizing a finance agreement, not quotes. Manufacturers in this market mostly price on application, so where a current UK list price could not be confirmed the row describes a specification class rather than naming a model. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.

Machine or specification Guide price Type
Combilift C-Series Electric Side Loader £28,000 – £45,000 Electric Side Loader
Combilift Diesel Side Loader £40,000 – £65,000 Diesel Side Loader
Hyster Side Loader £45,000 – £75,000 Heavy-Duty Side Loader
Combi-CB Multidirectional Side Loader £50,000 – £90,000 Multidirectional Side Loader

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Tax benefits

Side loaders qualify for the Annual Investment Allowance (AIA), letting you deduct the full cost from taxable profits in the year of purchase, subject to the current AIA limit. Hire purchase lets you claim capital allowances as you own the asset from day one. Finance lease and contract hire payments are treated as a revenue expense and are usually fully deductible against profits.

Market context

Side loaders are bought mainly by timber merchants, steel stockholders, builders' merchants and precast concrete yards handling long or bulky loads that don't suit a conventional counterbalance forklift. Diesel remains common for outdoor yard work where refuelling speed matters more than emissions, while electric side loaders are increasingly specified for indoor or covered yard use, and the choice materially affects both the purchase price and the running cost over the finance term. Contract hire suits yards that run a side loader outdoors for long hours across the working week and want servicing and tyre wear bundled into a fixed cost rather than managed separately. Replacement tends to follow hours run and wear on the mast, chassis and tyres from constant outdoor use, and the used market is smaller and more specialist than for general forklifts because side loaders are built for a narrower range of applications.

Bad credit?

Several of our 200+ lenders specialise in businesses with imperfect credit histories. You may need a larger deposit or personal guarantee, but options exist. Checking your options here does not affect your credit score, because we do not run a credit search to match you. A lender will run their own checks only if you decide to apply.

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Frequently asked questions

Diesel or electric side loader, does it affect the finance?
The finance process is the same, but diesel and electric side loaders sit at different price points and have different running costs, which affects the monthly payment and how a lender views the deal. Diesel units are generally cheaper to buy and refuel quickly, which suits busy outdoor yards, while electric side loaders cost more upfront and need charging infrastructure but suit covered or indoor sites better. It's worth deciding fuel type based on how and where the truck will actually work before comparing finance quotes, since the wrong choice can be expensive to change later.
Can I finance a used side loader?
Yes, though the used market for side loaders is smaller and more specialist than for general forklifts, so choice can be more limited and lenders may ask for an inspection or engineer's report, particularly on chassis and mast condition given the outdoor, high-load use these trucks typically see. Rates for used equipment are usually a little higher than for new.
What deposit do I need for a side loader?
Hire purchase typically asks for 10 to 20 percent deposit. Finance lease and contract hire usually require none. Given the wide price range between a compact electric model and a heavy-duty diesel unit, the actual deposit amount varies significantly, so it's worth getting a quote on the specific specification you need rather than budgeting from a general average.
Is contract hire common for side loaders?
Yes, particularly for diesel side loaders working long hours outdoors in timber and builders' merchant yards, where tyre wear and hydraulic maintenance can be significant over a busy year. Bundling servicing into a fixed monthly contract hire payment gives the business a predictable running cost and takes the maintenance planning off their hands, which many yards value more than the eventual ownership hire purchase offers.
How quickly can side loader finance be approved?
Most straightforward applications from an established business are approved within 48 hours. Because side loaders are often bought for a specific yard layout or product range, lenders may ask a few more questions about the intended use than they would for a standard forklift, but this rarely adds more than a day to the process for a business with clean trading history.

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