SELF-EMPLOYED MORTGAGE ADVICE
Self-Employed Mortgage Broker: Advice Built Around How You Earn
Sole trader, company director, contractor or CIS worker, lenders read your income in very different ways. We find the ones that read yours most fairly, before you apply.
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Based in Derby, we advise self-employed clients across the UK by phone and video.
Mortgage advice that starts with your accounts
Your high street bank gives one answer based on one set of rules. We look at your accounts, how you pay yourself and your credit history, then shortlist the lenders whose rules work for you. That is how self-employed clients often borrow more, or get accepted where a bank said no, without paying a higher rate.
Talk through your self-employed mortgage options
Tell us about your plans and circumstances. Your initial consultation is free.
Self-employed borrowers we help
Each income type has its own lender rules. These guides explain the detail.
Also see our guides to complex and multiple incomes, mortgages without full accounts and remortgaging when self-employed.
Why the lender matters more than the rate
For self-employed borrowers, the biggest differences between lenders are not in their rates but in how they calculate your income. On the same accounts, one lender's figure can be thousands of pounds higher than another's.
| Your situation | How lenders differ |
|---|---|
| Profits rising | Some lenders use the latest year. Others average two years, which gives a lower figure. |
| Profits falling | Most use the lower, latest year. A product transfer or the right timing can help. |
| Director paying a low salary | Many use salary and dividends only. Some use your share of company profit, which can be much higher. |
| Contractor | Some use your day rate. Others insist on accounts, which can understate income. |
| Recently self-employed | Most want two years. Some accept one, especially if you did the same work as an employee. |
Illustrative example: same accounts, different borrowing
A sole trader made £38,000 profit last year and £52,000 this year. A lender averaging two years starts from £45,000. A lender accepting the latest year starts from £52,000. At 4.5 times income, that is £202,500 against £234,000, a difference of £31,500, from the same accounts. This is an illustration, not a lending decision. Read more in our self-employed mortgage guide.
What you will need
- Tax evidence. SA302 tax calculations, or HMRC tax calculations, with the matching tax year overviews, usually for two years. Check they match before you apply.
- Company directors. Often company accounts prepared by an accountant, and business bank statements.
- Contractors. Your current contract and evidence of previous contracts.
- Everyone. Recent personal bank statements, photo ID and proof of address. For a remortgage, your current mortgage statement.
Not sure your paperwork is ready? We can tell you what each lender will ask for before you approach your accountant.
How it works
- Free consultation. We talk through your business, how you pay yourself, your credit history and what you want to do.
- Income review and lender shortlist. We work out how different lenders would calculate your income and shortlist the ones that fit.
- Agreement in principle. We obtain an initial indication from the chosen lender, so you know where you stand.
- Full application. We prepare and submit your application with the right documents and answer the underwriter's questions.
- Mortgage offer and completion. We keep you, your solicitor and the lender moving through to completion.
Buying, remortgaging or investing
- Buying a home. Including first homes, with gifted deposits and smaller deposits where lenders allow. See our first-time buyer mortgage advice.
- Remortgaging. We compare your lender's product transfer, which often needs no income check, with lenders that suit your income. See remortgaging when self-employed.
- Buy-to-let. Lending is based mainly on the rent, but your personal income still matters with many lenders. See our buy-to-let mortgage advice.
Our mortgage broker fee
Your initial consultation is free. If you proceed, our broker fee for a straightforward case is £499 in total: £299 on mortgage application and £200 when your mortgage offer is issued. The £299 application payment is refundable if your mortgage is declined, subject to the terms of your written fee agreement. The fee is £999 where income is complex or there are some credit problems, and £1,499 for heavy adverse credit such as a bankruptcy, as far more work is involved. These are paid the same way: part on application, refundable if the mortgage is declined, and the rest when the mortgage offer is issued. We confirm your fee and terms before you proceed. Lender and third-party fees may be additional.
Self-employed mortgage FAQs
Can I get a mortgage if I am self-employed?
Yes. Self-employed borrowers can access the same mortgage deals as employed borrowers. Lenders assess your income from your accounts or tax calculations, so the main difference is the evidence you provide and how each lender reads it.
How many years of accounts do I need?
Most lenders want two years of accounts or tax calculations. Some accept one year, particularly if you worked in the same field before. A few specialist lenders consider less in limited circumstances.
Do self-employed borrowers pay higher rates?
Not because they are self-employed. Your rate depends mainly on your deposit or equity, your credit history and the lender. A specialist lender may charge more if your case needs one, which is why lender choice matters.
Which income will a lender use?
Sole traders are usually assessed on net profit. Limited company directors on salary and dividends, or with some lenders their share of company profit. Some lenders use the latest year, others an average, and others the lower figure.
Can a limited company director use retained profits?
Some lenders will consider your share of the company profit, which can include profit left in the business. Not every lender does, and the calculation varies, so it is worth checking before you apply.
Can contractors get a mortgage based on their day rate?
Some lenders calculate contractor income from the day rate, often day rate times five times 46 to 48 weeks, rather than from accounts. They usually want a current contract and a contracting track record.
What documents will I need?
Usually your SA302 tax calculations or HMRC tax calculations with matching tax year overviews for the last two years, recent bank statements, ID and proof of address. Company directors may also need company accounts. Contractors need their contract.
Can I get a self-employed mortgage with bad credit?
Often, yes. Specialist lenders consider self-employed applicants with past credit problems. The more serious and recent the problems, the larger the deposit you are likely to need.
Is the first consultation free?
Yes. Our initial consultation is free. If you proceed, our broker fee for a straightforward case is £499: £299 on application and £200 when a mortgage offer is issued. The £299 application fee is refundable if the mortgage is declined, subject to the written fee agreement. The fee is £999 where income is complex or there are some credit problems, and £1,499 for heavy adverse credit such as a bankruptcy, as far more work is involved. These are paid the same way: part on application, refundable if the mortgage is declined, and the rest when the mortgage offer is issued. We confirm your fee before you proceed.
Ready to see which lenders fit your income?
Tell us how you earn and what you are looking to do. Your initial consultation is free.
Content written and reviewed by Davi Thakar. Last reviewed 16 October 2026. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Mortgage products and lender criteria are subject to change. This information is not a personal recommendation.