Buyer Credit Facility
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.
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
- our anti-bribery and corruption and environmental, social and human rights due diligence processes
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 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 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 [email protected] or call +44 (0)20 7271 8010.
Buyer Credit Facility: additional features
Find out more about Local Currency Financing and our Export Refinancing Facility.
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 [email protected] or call +44 (0)20 7271 8010.
Our application forms are also available if you’re ready to make an application.
Application forms
Make an application. Depending on our country cover position, you may also need to submit a sustainable lending form.
More information
- Read our guide for applicants on business processes and factors, to find out how we make decisions on applications
- Read our position on Financial Crime Compliance
Additional note
In accordance with the OECD Arrangement on Officially Supported Export Credits, the maximum amount that can be made available under the facility is normally 85% of the export contract value. However, for a temporary period this has been increased to 95% of the contract value for some transactions for sovereign or public buyers (with a guarantee by the Ministry of Finance or the central bank) in Category II countries with a country risk category of 5, 6 or 7.
In the majority of cases, a minimum of 5% of the contract value must be paid directly to the supplier by the buyer before the facility starts to be repaid. Transactions may benefit from the temporary changes provided that applications are received by 13 December 2024, and the date of the final commitment is within 18 months of the end of the validity period, i.e. by 13 June 2026.
It does not apply to transactions following the Aircraft Sector Understanding (ASU).
Updates to this page
Published 20 April 2013Last updated 4 March 2024 + show all updates
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Requested omission of text from 'Benefits' section.
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Wording changed to 'Benefits' section as agreed by LD, PPD and RMG.
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The additional note has been amended.
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The following forms have been updated: - Application form - Application form schedule The following form has been added: - Party Compliance Questionnaire
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Change to OECD note.
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Updated to include details of UKEF's sovereign premium indicator tool.
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Change to Security of Information Arrangements
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First published.