Can I get out of a merchant cash advance if I can't afford the repayments?

Yes, there are options available — but the right course of action depends on your full financial position. Merchant cash advances and similar factor-rate facilities typically have a fixed total repayment amount set at inception; this does not reduce with early repayment in the same way that interest-bearing loans do. Options for directors struggling with MCA repayments include: direct negotiation with the lender (many prefer agreed restructured terms over a default); a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA), which is a formal insolvency procedure that binds all creditors including alternative lenders; turnaround finance to replace the high-cost facility with more manageable long-term capital; and in some cases pre-pack administration where the underlying business has value worth protecting. Personal guarantees — which many MCA and alternative lenders require — survive the company's insolvency, so personal liability must be considered alongside the company's position. The key is to act before defaulting: options narrow significantly once enforcement begins.