Buyer Credit Facility
Source: gov.uk (2025-08-13)

How the Buyer Credit Facility works, its benefits, eligibility and how to apply.

Our Buyer Credit Facility provides a guarantee to a bank making a loan to an overseas buyer, so that capital goods, service and/or intangibles can be purchased.

This facility enables the exporter to receive payment up-front as though it was a cash contract, while the buyer can access extended repayment terms.

The loan is typically repaid over a period of 2 years or longer by the borrower, while the exporter receives payment via the credit facility as amounts fall due under the export contract.

Loans can be made in the main trading currencies, as well as more than 60 local currencies (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-currency-financing-eligible-currencies).

UKEF can consider support for corporate (private), sovereign and public buyers. Our flexible support can be used for a range of structures including:
- limited recourse project finance
- Islamic finance (sukuk)
- Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)
- capital markets refinancing
Benefits

The benefits of our Buyer Credit Facility include:
- the exporter is paid as though it has a cash contract, subject to the terms and conditions of the loan agreement and that loan continuing to be made available to the borrower.
- the buyer or borrower has time to pay over a number of years and can borrow at fixed or floating rates
- the lending bank is protected against non-payment, for whatever reasons, of the instalments of principal and interest due under the guaranteed loan.
Eligibility criteria

The transaction must satisfy UKEF’s eligibility criteria, which includes the requirements that:
- the exporter must be carrying on business in the UK
- the export contract must have a value of at least £5 million or the equivalent in foreign currency
- the bank making the loan must be acceptable to us
- the period for repayment of the loan must be at least 2 years
All transactions supported by UKEF must satisfy:
- our foreign content policy (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ukefs-approach-to-foreign-content)
- our anti-bribery and corruption (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-export-finance-financial-crime-compliance) and environmental, social and human rights due diligence processes (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/ukef-environmental-social-and-human-rights-risk-management)
The transaction may not be supported if there are sanctions imposed on the country of the overseas buyer.

The maximum amount that can be made available under the loan is 85% of the contract value. A minimum of 15% of the contract value must be paid directly to the exporter by the buyer before the loan starts to be repaid.

Check our country cover indicators (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/country-cover-policy-and-indicators) to find out what cover is available for the country you want to do business in.

Cost

The premium payable for our cover is determined on a case by case basis.

Use our premium indicator tool (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/country-cover-policy-and-indicators#premium-indicator) to obtain an indicative premium rate for transactions where UKEF will be supporting a contract with an overseas sovereign buyer as the risk entity.

Contact our customer services team to obtain an indicative premium rate for transactions where UKEF will be supporting a contract with an overseas public (non-sovereign) or private buyer as the risk entity.

Contact xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx) or call xx-xxxx-xxxx.

Buyer Credit Facility: additional features

Find out more about Local Currency Financing (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/buyer-credit-facility-additional-features).

How to apply

To find out more about a UKEF Buyer Credit Facility or to discuss eligibility for our support, or request application forms, contact our customer services team. Email xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx) or call xx-xxxx-xxxx.

Our application forms are also available if you’re ready to make an application.

Applicants are also required to complete the Party Compliance Questionnaire.

Application forms

Make an application. Depending on our country cover position (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/country-cover-policy-and-indicators), you may also need to submit a sustainable lending form.
- Buyer Credit application form (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67ac849e4fd41c3a24cd2173/BC_Application_Form_12.02.25.pdf) (PDF, 372 KB, 22 pages)
- Schedule to the Buyer Credit application form (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/63dd0eed8fa8f57fc70d3443/BC_Application_Form_Schedule_Sample_23.01.23.pdf) (PDF, 340 KB, 11 pages)
- sustainable lending form (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sustainable-lending-questionnaire)
More information
- Read our guide for applicants on business processes and factors, to find out how we make decisions on applications (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/processes-and-factors-in-uk-export-finance-consideration-of-applicants)
- Read our position on Financial Crime Compliance (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-export-finance-financial-crime-compliance)