Van leasing for UK businesses
Compare van contract hire by size, payload and body type. If you are not sure what will do the job, our specialists will narrow it down and arrange a written quotation.
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Rated 4.9/5 on Feefo · FCA authorised (FRN 315268) · BVRLA leasing broker member · Part of Global Vehicle Group
Van leasing is a contract hire agreement: you pay a fixed monthly rental to use a van for an agreed term and mileage, then hand it back. Intelligent Vehicle Finance is an FCA-authorised broker arranging business and personal van contract hire across a panel of more than 20 UK funders, with specialists who match payload and load space to the job rather than to a price bracket.
Van leasing: key facts
- Vans from 18 manufacturers, including Ford, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Vauxhall, Renault, Peugeot, Citroen, Toyota, Fiat, Iveco and Maxus.
- Body types covered: small, medium and large panel vans, crew and combi vans, pickups, tippers and dropsides, conversions, refrigerated vans and electric vans.
- Contract terms typically 24, 36, 48 or 60 months.
- Initial rentals typically equivalent to 1, 3, 6, 9 or 12 monthly payments.
- Annual mileage typically set between 5,000 and 30,000 miles.
- Business contract hire on a commercial vehicle generally allows more VAT recovery than an equivalent car, subject to business use and your VAT position.
- Selected in-stock vans can be delivered within 48 hours, subject to availability and funder approval. This applies to specific stock vehicles, not to the full range.
Intelligent Vehicle Finance is a credit broker, not a lender, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 315268).
Live van contract hire offers are shown below. Prices are business contract hire excluding VAT unless stated.
Which van will do the job?
Most van decisions go wrong at the specification stage, not the price stage. A van that looks right on paper can fail on payload once racking, tools and a passenger are added. Start from what the van has to carry and where it has to go.
| What you need it to do | Where to start | Check first |
|---|---|---|
| City driving, lighter loads, tight parking | Small vans | Payload once racking is fitted |
| Everyday trade work, mixed loads | Medium vans | Internal load length and roof height |
| Heavy, bulky or long loads | Large panel vans | Gross vehicle weight and licence category |
| Carrying people and equipment together | Crew and combi vans | Seat layout and remaining payload |
| Towing, site access, rough ground | Pickups and 4x4s | Towing capacity and the payload tax test |
| Lower-emission urban driving | Electric vans | Real-world range and charging access |
Specialist bodies are covered too: conversions, refrigerated vans, tippers and short-wheelbase panel vans.
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Matching the van to the trade
These are the starting points our specialists use on the phone, and the checks that most often change the answer. They are guidance, not a specification: payload and dimensions vary by derivative, and the figures on the individual vehicle always take priority.
| Trade | Typical starting point | What must be checked |
|---|---|---|
| Electrician or plumber | Small or medium van | Payload after racking, internal load length |
| Builder | Medium or large van, or a pickup | Payload, towing capacity, load access |
| Courier or multi-drop | Small electric or small diesel van | Daily mileage against real-world range, load volume |
| Landscaper or groundworker | Pickup, tipper or dropside | Towing, payload, site access |
| Crew and equipment together | Crew or combi van | Seat count against remaining payload, licence category |
The payload mistake we see most
Payload is quoted for the base vehicle. Racking, ply lining, a roof rack, a full tank and a passenger all come out of it. A van rated for a tonne can lose a substantial part of that before a single tool is loaded. Ask for the payload of the exact derivative with your intended fit-out, not the headline figure for the model range.
Van tax for businesses: it is not car tax
Vans and cars are taxed on different mechanisms, and the difference is usually the largest single factor in the decision. This is a general summary, not tax advice. Confirm your own position with your accountant before committing.
Benefit in kind
A company car is taxed on a percentage of its list price, banded by CO2 emissions. A van used privately is taxed on a flat-rate van benefit charge instead, with a separate flat-rate charge where private fuel is provided. There is no CO2 banding. Where a van is only used for business journeys and ordinary commuting, no van benefit charge normally arises at all, which is a distinction that does not exist for cars.
VAT
VAT treatment is where commercial vehicles separate sharply from cars. A VAT-registered business can generally recover more of the VAT on a commercial vehicle rental than on an equivalent car, subject to the vehicle qualifying as a commercial vehicle and to business use. For a VAT-registered trade business this often outweighs headline differences between two vehicles.
Double-cab pickups: the rules have already changed
Double-cab pickups with a payload of one tonne or more were historically treated as goods vehicles, which is why they became popular as company vehicles. From 6 April 2025 HMRC treats most of them as cars for benefit-in-kind purposes instead, so the taxable benefit is calculated on the car basis rather than the flat-rate van charge.
Transitional arrangements apply where the vehicle was purchased, leased or ordered before 6 April 2025. In those cases the previous treatment can continue until the earliest of disposal, lease expiry, or 5 April 2029.
There is a second consequence that matters specifically on contract hire: a double-cab pickup lease is now treated as the hire of a car for the purposes of the restriction on hiring costs that applies to cars emitting above 50g/km. That affects how much of the rental is deductible. If a pickup is under consideration on tax grounds, raise it before you order, because the timing and the vehicle both change the answer.
Tax rates, thresholds and reliefs are set by HMRC and are subject to change at each fiscal event. The dates above reflect the position at the date of the last review shown at the foot of this page. Always confirm your own position with a qualified accountant before making a decision.
If you are weighing a van against a company car, our company car tax guide sets out the car side of the comparison in detail.
Electric vans
Electric vans now cover most of the size range, from small city vans to large panel vans. They suit predictable routes with overnight charging far better than variable long-distance work. The two questions worth settling before anything else are whether the real-world range covers your worst day rather than your average one, and where the van charges overnight. Payload also deserves a direct comparison: battery weight can reduce it against the diesel equivalent, though weight allowances for alternatively fuelled vehicles offset part of that.
Why lease a van through Intelligent Vehicle Finance
- Specialists, on the phone. We do not publish prices online because the right answer depends on payload, mileage, term and your tax position. You get a named person who works through it with you.
- A broad funder panel. More than 20 UK funders, so the quotation reflects the market rather than one lender's appetite.
- Specification first. We check payload, load dimensions and licence category before discussing terms, because a lower-priced van that cannot carry the load costs more in the end.
- Regulated and accountable. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, a BVRLA leasing broker member, and part of Global Vehicle Group.
- Written quotations. Clear written options showing the monthly rental, initial rental, contract term, mileage and any applicable fees.
How to lease a van through IVF
- Tell us the job. What the van carries, how far it travels and where it has to get to. Call 01752 429950 or request a callback.
- We shortlist. We match payload, load space and body type to the work, then check availability across the funder panel.
- You get written options. Monthly rental, initial rental, term, mileage and any fees, set out clearly so the options can be compared properly.
- Proposal and approval. We submit to the chosen funder and keep you updated.
- Delivery. Delivered to your address or site. Selected in-stock vans can be delivered within 48 hours, subject to availability and funder approval.
Van manufacturers we arrange leasing on
We arrange contract hire across the mainstream and specialist van market. These are the manufacturers with the broadest availability through our funder panel.
Ford · Volkswagen · Mercedes-Benz · Nissan · Vauxhall · Renault · Peugeot · Citroen · Toyota · Fiat · Iveco · Maxus · Isuzu · Land Rover · View all van manufacturers
Van leasing: frequently asked questions
Can a new business lease a van?
Often yes. Funders assess new businesses differently from established ones and may ask for additional information, such as a director's guarantee or supporting figures. It is worth a conversation before assuming the answer either way. Approval is always subject to status.
Is VAT charged on van leasing?
Yes. Business van rentals are quoted excluding VAT and VAT is added. A VAT-registered business can generally recover more of the VAT on a commercial vehicle than on an equivalent car, subject to the vehicle qualifying and to business use. Confirm your position with your accountant.
How do I work out the payload I need?
Add the weight of everything that stays in the van, including racking, ply lining and tools, then add the heaviest single load you carry and any passengers. Compare that against the payload of the exact derivative rather than the model range headline figure, because payload varies significantly between derivatives.
Can I lease a van with maintenance included?
Yes. A maintenance package can usually be added to the rental, covering servicing, and typically tyres and routine wear items depending on the funder. It is priced separately, so ask to see the rental with and without it.
Can racking, ply lining or livery be fitted?
Usually yes, but it needs agreeing in advance. Conversions and fitted equipment affect payload and may affect the condition standard the van must be returned in, so tell us at quotation stage rather than after delivery.
What happens at the end of a van lease?
You return the van. It is inspected against the BVRLA fair wear and tear standard, and charges may apply for damage beyond that standard or for mileage above the contracted allowance. There is no option to own the vehicle under contract hire.
What is the difference between business and personal van leasing?
Business contract hire is quoted excluding VAT and is available to limited companies, partnerships and sole traders. Personal contract hire is quoted including VAT and is taken in your own name. The vehicle is the same; the pricing basis, VAT treatment and credit assessment differ.
Do you lease pickups as well as panel vans?
Yes. Pickups, tippers, dropsides, crew vans, conversions and refrigerated vans are all available. Pickups have a specific tax position that changed on 6 April 2025, so it is worth raising the intended use when you call.
Written and reviewed by Stacey Smith, Brand Director, Intelligent Vehicle Finance. Last reviewed: July 2026.
Not sure which van will do the job?
Tell us what it has to carry and where it has to go. We will do the rest.
Intelligent Vehicle Finance is a trading style of XLCR Vehicle Management Ltd (company no. 03923327), authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 315268), and a BVRLA leasing broker member. IVF is a credit broker, not a lender. We may receive a commission from lenders for introducing you to them. All finance is subject to status, availability and funder approval. Delivery timescales depend on supplier and vehicle availability. Tax information is a general summary and not tax advice; confirm your position with a qualified accountant.
