The new tax year started on 6 April 2026 — and for many UK business owners, that signals a fresh opportunity to plan, invest, and grow. Whether you’re looking to expand your fleet, upgrade equipment, release capital from existing assets, or simply put your finances on a stronger footing, the start of 2026/27 is an ideal moment to explore your funding options.

 

At Percy Finance, we help businesses across the UK access the right finance — from asset finance and vehicle finance to business loans, refinancing, and supercar finance. Here’s what’s worth knowing as we head into the new tax year.

Why The New Tax Year Matters for Business Investment

The start of a new tax year is more than an accounting milestone. For businesses, it resets the clock on annual investment allowances and creates a natural planning window. If you held off on a major purchase in 2025/26 to manage your tax position, now is the time to revisit those decisions with a clean slate.

 

The UK government’s Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) currently allows businesses to deduct the full cost of qualifying plant and machinery from profits in the year of purchase — up to £1 million. Financing assets through hire purchase can preserve this allowance in many cases, meaning you benefit from the tax deduction without paying for the asset outright. We always recommend speaking to your accountant about your specific position, but it’s a significant advantage worth understanding.

Asset Finance: Invest Without Draining Your Cash Reserves

One of the most common reasons businesses delay investment is cash flow. Replacing a piece of equipment, adding a vehicle to a fleet, or upgrading machinery can represent a significant outlay — and drawing down cash reserves at the start of the year isn’t always the right call.

Asset finance solves this by spreading the cost over a fixed term, typically between one and seven years. You get the asset working for your business immediately, your monthly costs are predictable, and your cash stays available for day-to-day operations, payroll, and opportunities as they arise.

Whether you need hire purchase, a finance lease, or an operating lease depends on your priorities — ownership, flexibility, or keeping assets off the balance sheet. Percy Finance can walk you through which structure makes most sense for your business and your accountant’s requirements.

Vehicle Finance for Fleets and Individual Vehicles

The new tax year is one of the busiest periods for vehicle finance enquiries, particularly from businesses looking to add to or refresh their commercial fleet. With new plate registrations and competitive manufacturer programmes in play, April is often an excellent time to act.

Percy Finance arranges vehicle finance for everything from single commercial vehicles and company cars through to full fleet replacements. We work with a wide panel of lenders, including those who specialise in vehicles with high mileage requirements, older plates, or non-standard configurations — the sort of deals that don’t always fit a high-street bank’s criteria.

Refinancing: Unlock Capital You Already Own

If your business owns assets outright — vehicles, plant, machinery, or equipment — the new tax year is a good time to review whether that capital is working as hard as it could be. Refinancing allows you to release the equity tied up in those assets and convert it into usable working capital, without losing access to the assets themselves.
This can be particularly valuable at the start of a financial year when businesses want to invest in growth but don’t want to take on new debt. The capital released through refinancing can fund new stock, cover expansion costs, or simply provide a buffer while you scale.

Business Loans for Wider Growth Plans

Not every investment is asset-based. If you’re planning to hire staff, open new premises, increase stock levels, or fund a marketing push in 2026/27, a business loan may be more appropriate than asset-specific finance. Percy Finance sources business loans from across the market, including unsecured facilities for businesses with a strong trading history and secured options for larger borrowing requirements.

Start 2026/27 With The Right Finance in Place

The businesses that grow consistently are usually the ones that plan their financing early rather than reactively. Getting the right facility in place at the start of the tax year means you’re ready to move quickly when opportunities arise — whether that’s a vehicle at the right price, a piece of equipment that becomes available, or a contract that requires upfront investment to fulfil.

Percy Finance works with businesses at every stage — from start-ups exploring their first finance facility to established companies restructuring their funding. There’s no obligation to an initial conversation, and we work across the whole market to find the most suitable option for your business.

Looking for business finance?
Our team at Percy Finance is here to help you compare your options and secure the right funding for your business.