Henry Howard Finance
Henry Howard Finance Group is a Newport-based UK asset finance provider serving SMEs with finance leases, hire purchase, asset refinance, vehicle, green, and embedded finance solutions, distributed through direct, broker, vendor, and bank partner channels including Apple, Barclays, and Santander.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersNewport, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Henry Howard Finance does
Henry Howard Finance Group is a Newport, Wales-based asset finance provider founded in 1996 that lends to UK small and medium enterprises through its operating brands. The company offers Finance Lease, Hire Purchase, and Asset Refinance across equipment, commercial vehicles, and green/sustainable assets, and extends its reach via an embedded finance product and the PropelPay payment rail that integrate lending into vendor and broker platforms at the point of sale. The group is FCA-authorised for two entities (FRN 689877 and 751977), holds ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials certifications, and is a partner of the British Business Bank Growth Guarantee Scheme.
The business runs a multi-channel distribution model combining a national team of in-house asset finance specialists, broker and vendor partner networks, and co-distribution relationships with Apple Financial Services, Barclays, and Santander, reaching over one million UK SMEs through partner channels and 70,500+ businesses financed to date. Its proprietary Propeller technology platform underpins application processing and is positioned by the company as a differentiator alongside PropelPay. Cumulative originations of £2.009Bn and sustained recognition as the UK's fastest-growing asset finance lender (Asset Finance UK 50, 2022 and 2023; AFC Awards fastest sustained growth 2021-2024) evidence a long operating history with material recent acceleration.
Revenue is generated primarily through interest and fees on the financed asset book, supplemented by transaction fees from embedded finance arrangements; pricing is bespoke and quote-based per customer, with multi-year contract structures. The company targets a horizontal SME segment across construction, manufacturing, retail, transportation, farming, and healthcare, and reports a current customer satisfaction score of 9.7/10, supported by a "Human Digital Approach" that combines technology-led processing with named-account relationship management.
Henry Howard Finance firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Henry Howard Finance
- Website
- https://henryhowardfinance.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Henry Howard Finance Group is a Newport-based UK asset finance provider serving SMEs with finance leases, hire purchase, asset refinance, vehicle, green, and embedded finance solutions, distributed through direct, broker, vendor, and bank partner channels including Apple, Barclays, and Santander.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Henry Howard Finance industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Asset Finance
- NAICS
- Sales Financing (52222)
- SIC
- Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153), Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Supply Chain Finance (Trade Credit, PO/Inventory Financing) (FSAKAGAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Merchant Cash Advance & Revenue-Based Financing Enablement (FSAGALAH)
Keywords
Where Henry Howard Finance is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Newport
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Henry Howard Finance business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Asset Finance Services: Propel Finance provides asset finance solutions including Finance Lease, Hire Purchase, and Asset Refinance. Revenue is generated through interest and fees on financed assets over the term of agreements.
- Green Finance: Specialized financing for sustainable and eco-friendly assets including solar panels and green equipment, generating revenue through financed assets in the sustainable technology sector.
- Vehicle Finance: Flexible financing for business vehicles and fleets, providing revenue through commercial vehicle financing arrangements.
- Embedded Finance: Integrated finance solutions offered through vendor and partner platforms, enabling finance at point of sale.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Customized asset finance solutions |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Henry Howard Finance product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Henry Howard Finance provides asset finance solutions to UK small and medium-sized enterprises, offering Finance Lease, Hire Purchase, and Asset Refinance structures for the acquisition of business equipment, vehicles, and sustainable assets. The company serves over 70,500 UK business customers across construction, manufacturing, retail, transportation, farming, and healthcare sectors, and delivers its products through a multi-channel model combining direct sales, broker and vendor partner networks, embedded finance integrations, and co-distribution with financial institution partners such as Barclays, Santander, and Apple Financial Services.
Product overview
Propel Finance operates as a multi-product asset finance platform offering five core financing solutions: Asset Finance (the primary umbrella product), Equipment Finance, Green Finance, Vehicle Finance, and Embedded Finance, supplemented by the Growth Guarantee Scheme. The company also offers proprietary technology platforms including Propeller (their core technology system) and PropelPay. All products are delivered through a 'Human Digital Approach' combining personal service with technology, serving over one million SMEs through partnerships with vendors, brokers, and financial institutions. Finance solutions include Finance Lease, Hire Purchase, and Asset Refinance options tailored to customer business requirements.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Asset Finance Core financing solution providing flexible funding options including Finance Lease, Hire Purchase, and Asset Refinance for UK businesses to acquire essential equipment and assets.
- Equipment Finance Specialized financing for business technologies and machinery equipment, enabling UK companies to access essential tech assets through flexible finance arrangements.
- Green Finance Financing solutions for sustainable and eco-friendly assets including solar panels and green equipment, supporting UK businesses in their transition to Net Zero.
- Vehicle Finance Flexible financing options for business vehicles and fleets, helping UK businesses drive forward with tailored commercial vehicle finance solutions.
- Embedded Finance Integrated finance solutions that enable online sales platforms and vendors to offer Propel financing options directly within their customer journey at the point of sale.
- Growth Guarantee Scheme Government-backed financing support program designed to improve access to finance for UK SMEs, providing additional security for lenders and delivered in partnership with the British Business Bank.
Quantifiable outcome
- 9.7/10 customer satisfaction score
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Henry Howard Finance
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Henry Howard Finance technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Henry Howard Finance partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Apple Financial ServicescoreApple Financial Services partners with Propel Finance, operating a dedicated platform at applefinancialservices.propelfinance.co.uk. This partnership enables Apple products to be financed through Propel's asset finance solutions.
- BarclayscoreBarclays is a key banking partner of Propel Finance, collaborating on asset finance distribution to UK business customers.
- SantandercoreSantander partners with Propel Finance for asset finance solutions, providing financing options to business customers through the partnership.
- AzetssupportingAzets, an advisory and accountancy firm, is a partner of Propel Finance, offering asset finance solutions to their business clients.
- British Business BankcoreThe British Business Bank is a proud partner of Propel Finance, supporting access to finance for UK SMEs. The Growth Guarantee Scheme is delivered in partnership with the British Business Bank.
- Finance Lease Association (FLA)supportingThe Finance Lease Association is an industry body partner, demonstrating Propel's commitment to industry standards and best practices in asset finance.
- National Association of Chartered Finance Brokers (NACFB)supportingNACFB is a patron partner of Propel Finance, supporting broker distribution of asset finance solutions to UK businesses.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Henry Howard Finance competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- iwoca: UK-based digital SME lender providing flexible financing (including asset-style and working capital loans) to small businesses. Directly comparable to Propel on SME customer segment, UK focus, and technology-led origination model, though iwoca leans more on unsecured term lending vs. Propel's secured asset finance.
- Funding Circle: UK-founded SME lending platform (now public on LSE) providing business loans and asset-style finance to small businesses. Comparable to Propel on SME target market and digital distribution, with overlapping competition for UK SME credit demand.
- Close Brothers Asset Finance: UK specialist asset finance division of Close Brothers Group providing hire purchase, leasing, and asset refinance to SMEs across multiple sectors. Highly comparable core product set, customer segment, and broker distribution model.
- Hitachi Capital UK (now Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions): UK asset finance and vehicle leasing provider serving SMEs and corporates with finance leases and hire purchase. Directly comparable asset finance product set and broker/vendor distribution approach.
- Aldermore Asset Finance: UK challenger bank's asset finance division offering hire purchase, leasing, and refinancing to SMEs. Comparable on product set and SME focus; benefits from being part of a deposit-taking bank, contrasting with Propel's non-bank model.
Broad incumbents
- Shawbrook Bank: UK specialist bank providing asset finance, business credit, and SME lending. Comparable on SME and asset finance focus within the UK specialist-lender segment; broader product suite than Propel.
- DLL (De Lage Landen): Global vendor finance and asset finance provider with significant UK SME activity. Comparable on asset finance products, vendor/embedded distribution, and SME customer base, though operating at materially larger scale internationally.
Emerging players
- Allica Bank: UK SME-focused challenger bank providing asset finance, commercial mortgages, and business banking to small businesses. Comparable on SME target market and equipment/asset lending, with newer entrant positioning.
- MarketFinance: UK SME finance platform providing invoice finance, business loans, and embedded working capital products. Comparable on UK SME target market and digital/embedded distribution approach, with focus on working capital rather than equipment asset finance.
- Tide: UK digital business banking platform expanding into SME lending and credit products. Comparable on UK SME target segment and digital-first go-to-market, though primarily transactional banking rather than asset finance.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Henry Howard Finance social profiles
Digital presenceHenry Howard Finance compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Henry Howard Finance financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Henry Howard Finance leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Henry Howard Finance funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Henry Howard Finance M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Henry Howard Finance
What does Henry Howard Finance do?
Henry Howard Finance provides asset finance solutions to UK small and medium-sized enterprises, offering Finance Lease, Hire Purchase, and Asset Refinance structures for the acquisition of business equipment, vehicles, and sustainable assets. The company serves over 70,500 UK business customers across construction, manufacturing, retail, transportation, farming, and healthcare sectors, and delivers its products through a multi-channel model combining direct sales, broker and vendor partner networks, embedded finance integrations, and co-distribution with financial institution partners such as Barclays, Santander, and Apple Financial Services.
When was Henry Howard Finance founded?
Henry Howard Finance was founded in 1996. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Henry Howard Finance based?
Henry Howard Finance is headquartered in Newport, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Henry Howard Finance make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Asset Finance Services are the primary driver. The others are green Finance, vehicle Finance and embedded Finance.
Who are Henry Howard Finance's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are iwoca, Funding Circle, Close Brothers Asset Finance, Hitachi Capital UK (now Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions) and Aldermore Asset Finance. Broad incumbents are Shawbrook Bank and DLL (De Lage Landen). Emerging players are Allica Bank, MarketFinance and Tide.
Does Henry Howard Finance have an API?
No public API is recorded for Henry Howard Finance.
What industry is Henry Howard Finance in?
Henry Howard Finance's product category is Asset Finance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAKAGAE, Supply Chain Finance (Trade Credit, PO/Inventory Financing), with a secondary code of FSAGALAH, Merchant Cash Advance & Revenue-Based Financing Enablement. Its NAICS code is 52222 and its SIC code is 6153.