Spouse visa holder and self-employed partner secure a mortgage with a 10% deposit

Client profile

Healthcare worker on a Spouse visa, 12 months in the UK, applying jointly with a self-employed partner.

The couple wanted to buy a home together and were ready to apply with a 10% deposit. On paper, though, the application looked complicated: a recently arrived visa holder on one side, who left her existing partner and a partner with a short self-employed trading history on the other.

Key facts

• Visa: Spouse
• Time in the UK (visa holder): 12 months
• Applicant 1: healthcare worker
• Applicant 2 (sponsor): self-employed, one year of accounts
• Application type: joint
• Deposit: 10%

The challenge

This application combined three things lenders look at closely: one applicant on a Spouse visa, one self-employed applicant with only one year of trading accounts, and a 10% deposit. Many lenders want two or three years of accounts from self-employed applicants, so finding the right lender mattered from the start.

Why each part needed care

The Spouse visa. Every lender sets its own policy on visa holders. Some look closely at how much time is left on the visa, some focus more on employment and income, and some will not lend to visa holders at all. Finding the lenders that would genuinely consider the case was the first hurdle.

One year of self-employed accounts. Most mainstream lenders ask for two or three years of accounts or tax calculations. Fewer will consider one year, and those that do look closely at how the business has performed and how the income is evidenced.

A 10% deposit. A smaller deposit means a higher loan-to-value. That narrows lender choice further and puts more weight on affordability and credit profile.

Each of these narrows the options on its own. Together, they meant that approaching the wrong lender first could cost the couple time and a credit search with nothing to show for it.

What we did

We treated it as one joint case, not two separate applicants, and worked through it in stages.

1. Looked at the whole picture first. We reviewed both incomes, the visa position and the deposit together before choosing a route.
2. Matched the case to the right lenders. We identified lenders whose criteria could work for a Spouse visa holder and a self-employed applicant with one year of accounts at a 10% deposit.
3. Considered how each lender would assess the income. Healthcare employment and self-employed income are assessed differently, so we shaped the application around how the chosen lender would view both.
4. Prepared the evidence up front. We gathered the supporting evidence for both applicants before submitting, so the lender had a clear picture from day one.
5. Managed the application to completion. We handled the process from submission through to the mortgage being secured.

The result

The couple secured a joint mortgage with a 10% deposit, without having to wait for a second year of accounts.

Neither applicant had the standard profile many lenders look for, but the application worked because the lender was chosen to fit the case, not the other way round.

Is your situation similar?

A case like this may be relevant to you if:

• You are on a Spouse visa and applying with your partner
• Your partner has been self-employed for less than two years
• You have a 10% deposit and have been told you need to wait

Every case is different, and the right lender depends on your full circumstances, so it is worth getting advice before you apply.