Skip Finance

Spread the cost of a skip fleet, from mini to builders skips, from £3,000 to £50,000 with flexible finance options. HP, lease, or refinance

Can you finance a skip?

Yes, skips 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 £3,000 to £50,000, and most deals are written over 12–48 months with a deposit of around 15–25%. Decisions typically take 24–48 hours. Used machines are financeable too, usually with a shorter term.

Typical Cost

£3k – £50k

Approval Speed

24–48 hours

Usually financed as a mixed fleet order

Rates From

5.6% APR

What would a skip cost per month?

Skip price (ex VAT) £15,000

Deposit 10%

Agreement term 60 months

Annual interest rate 9%

Balloon payment £0

Your estimate

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

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

Finance options

Hire Purchase (HP)

Rate: From 6.2% APR
Term: 12–48 months
Deposit: 15–25%
Ownership: Yours at the end
Best for: Operators wanting to own the fleet outright

Finance Lease

Rate: From 5.6% APR
Term: 12–48 months
Deposit: None required
Ownership: Return or buy (balloon payment)
Best for: Tax efficient; claim payments against profit

Operating Lease

Rate: From 6.5% APR
Term: 24–36 months
Deposit: None required
Ownership: Return at end
Best for: Suits operators renewing fleet stock on a cycle

Representative example

On a purchase price of £15,000: a 10% deposit of £1,500, then 48 monthly payments of £316 at 5.9% APR representative (fixed). Total amount payable £16,668, 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
2–3 Yard Mini Skip	£150 – £300 each	Mini Skip
6–8 Yard Builders Skip	£350 – £600 each	Builders Skip
Mixed Fleet Order (20+ Skips)	£6,000 – £11,000	Mixed Skip Fleet

Tax benefits

Skips bought for a hire fleet are plant and machinery for capital allowances in the same way as other equipment financed by a hire business, and generally qualify for Annual Investment Allowance, letting the cost be deducted from taxable profits in the year of purchase, subject to your total qualifying spend for the year. Confirm current treatment with your accountant before finalising the finance structure.

Market context

Skip hire operators and waste management companies building or renewing a hire fleet are the main buyers, and skips are usually financed and bought in batches across several sizes, mini, midi and builders, to match customer demand rather than as single units. This page covers the skip containers themselves; a skip lorry, the vehicle that lifts and transports them, is a separate piece of equipment with its own finance page. Operating a skip hire business requires a waste carrier licence and, depending on where skips are sited, a permit, which is separate from financing the containers. Replacement is generally driven by dents, corrosion and wear from constant loading and site transport, which shortens a skip's working life compared with fixed processing equipment.

Frequently asked questions

Can I finance a single skip or does it need to be a fleet order?

Most skip hire operators finance skips in batches across several sizes to build out a working fleet, since the cost of a single skip is relatively low, but smaller HP agreements for a handful of units are available from some providers. If you are starting or growing a hire operation, it is usually more efficient to finance a mixed batch on one agreement rather than ordering repeatedly.

What is the difference between a skip and a skip lorry?

A skip is the container itself, the box that waste is loaded into and collected in. A skip lorry is the vehicle that lifts, transports and delivers skips to and from site, and is a separate piece of equipment financed on its own agreement. Most operators need both to run a hire business, but they are bought and financed independently.

Do I need a licence to operate a skip hire business?

Yes, operating a skip hire business requires a registered waste carrier licence, and siting skips on public land or the road typically needs a separate permit from the local authority. These are operational and regulatory requirements set by the relevant authorities rather than by any lender, so check current requirements before starting or expanding a hire operation.

How do I decide what size mix to buy for my fleet?

This depends on the customer base you serve; a domestic-focused operator typically needs more mini and midi skips, while a construction-focused operator needs more builders and larger skips. Reviewing your current hire request pattern, or your business plan if you are starting out, against typical demand in your area is the usual starting point for deciding a fleet mix.

How quickly can I get skip fleet finance?

Most applications are approved within 24 to 48 hours once a supplier quote for the fleet order is available. A specialist broker comparing quotes across multiple lenders can usually confirm which product and rate best fits your circumstances within the same working day.