Self employed
van leasing.

Leasing fixes your monthly cost, keeps cash in the business and hands the depreciation risk to the funder — you simply give the van back at the end. The trade-off is that you never own it, so if you tend to run vehicles into the ground for ten years, hire purchase suits you better.

If you are VAT registered and the van is used for business, you can generally reclaim 100% of the VAT on the rentals — a much better position than cars, where the reclaim is usually capped at 50%. Any meaningful private use changes the calculation, so confirm the detail with your accountant.

Photo ID, proof of address and evidence of trading — usually two years of accounts or SA302s, or bank statements for a newer business. Sole traders and directors of small limited companies are commonly asked for a personal guarantee.

Usually yes, with the funder's agreement, provided everything is removed and any damage made good before the van goes back. Get that permission in writing at the start rather than discovering a problem at the end of the term.

Set the annual allowance based on a realistic year, not your best one. Many funders will let you adjust the contracted mileage part way through the term, which is far cheaper than absorbing an excess charge at the end.