Self-Employed Mortgages
Self-employed mortgages assessed on your actual income - SA302 net profit, company accounts, or annualised day rate - from specialist lenders who understand income that automated systems misread or reject.
Assessed on real income, not automated decline
Mainstream automated mortgage systems assess income against payslips. Self-employed borrowers without payslips are routinely declined or have their income dramatically understated. Specialist lenders use manual underwriting and income methodologies built for non-standard income - SA302 tax calculations, company accounts, director salary plus dividends, or contractor day rate. The right lender depends on how your income is structured.
Every self-employed income structure placed
Sole Trader SA302 Assessment
Two years of SA302 tax calculations and tax year overviews assessed by specialist lenders on net profit after expenses. Some lenders accept one year where income is growing and the applicant has a sector track record.
Limited Company Director
Directors assessed by specialist lenders on salary plus dividends from SA302, or on net profit from company accounts where the director owns 25%+. Often produces significantly higher assessed income than salary alone.
Contractor Day Rate
Contractors working via limited company assessed on annualised day rate (rate × 46-48 weeks) rather than salary and dividends drawn. Frequently produces a much higher assessed income than dividend-based assessment.
One Year of Accounts
Specialist lenders accept one year of self-employment history where income is growing, the applicant has a track record in the same sector, and accounts are prepared by a qualified accountant. The panel is narrower but genuine options exist.
Complex Income Combinations
Self-employment income combined with employment, rental income, or investment income - all aggregated by specialist lenders who assess all verifiable sources rather than the primary stream alone.
No Unnecessary Credit Searches
We assess your income against lender criteria before approaching any lender - identifying who will approve your case at the best rate, without generating hard credit searches on applications unlikely to succeed.
How it works
Tell us how your income is structured
Sole trader, limited company director, contractor, or a combination - tell us how you earn. We identify which lender's income methodology produces the highest assessed income for your specific structure.
Income assessment and lender match
We assess your SA302, accounts, or day rate contract against 130+ lenders before approaching any of them - identifying the specific methodology that maximises your income assessment.
Application preparation
SA302s, tax year overviews, company accounts, and accountant's certificates assembled in the exact format each lender requires. Presented correctly the first time - no unnecessary back-and-forth.
Offer and completion
One application to the right lender. Typical timeline: 4 to 6 weeks from full application to mortgage offer. Manual underwriting takes slightly longer than automated but produces the right result.
Self-employed and need a mortgage?
Tell us how your income is structured. We identify the lender whose assessment gives you the best outcome - same working day response.
Frequently asked questions
How many years of accounts do I need?
Most specialist lenders require two years. Some accept one year where income is growing and the applicant has a track record in the same sector. A broker identifies which lenders are most accommodating for your specific trading history and income trajectory.
Can a company director use dividends as well as salary?
Yes - with specialist lenders who assess director income correctly. Most specialist lenders use salary plus dividends from your SA302 tax calculations for the last two years, often dramatically increasing the assessed income versus salary alone.
I am a contractor - how is my income assessed?
Specialist day-rate contract lenders annualise your current day rate (rate × working days per year, typically 230-240) and use this as the assessed income. This bypasses the salary and dividends drawn from your limited company, which are often much lower.
Can I get a mortgage if I've been self-employed for less than two years?
Yes, from specialist one-year-accounts lenders. Requirements typically include self-employment in the same field as previous employment, growing income, and accounts prepared by a qualified accountant. The lender panel is narrower but genuine options exist.
Does using a specialist lender mean a higher interest rate?
Not necessarily. Specialist self-employed lenders offer competitive rates on a par with standard residential lenders - the difference is in how they assess income, not in the rate they charge once approved.