Can you get a mortgage if you are self-employed?
There is no separate self-employed mortgage. There is a separate way of proving your income, and lenders read the same accounts very differently.
You apply for the same mortgages as an employee. Lenders prove your income from accounts and tax documents instead of payslips, usually wanting two years. Sole traders are assessed on net profit and company directors usually on salary plus dividends, though some lenders use retained profit instead.
Self-employed mortgages are not a separate product
There is no such thing as a self-employed mortgage. You apply for the same mortgages as everyone else. What differs is how the lender proves your income.
An employee has payslips. You have accounts, tax calculations and a bank statement history. Lenders read those differently from each other, and that difference is the whole game.
What lenders ask for
| How you trade | Usual evidence | Income they use |
|---|---|---|
| Sole trader | Two years of tax calculations and tax year overviews | Net profit |
| Partnership | Two years of accounts and tax documents | Your share of net profit |
| Limited company director | Two years of accounts | Salary plus dividends, or sometimes salary plus retained profit |
| Contractor | Contract history and day rate | Often day rate times worked weeks |
Every lender sets its own policy. This is the common pattern, not a rule.
The retained profit point matters for company directors. Most lenders use salary plus dividends. A smaller group will use salary plus the company's profit, which can be a much larger figure.
One year of accounts
Some lenders will consider one year of accounts, particularly if you were doing similar work as an employee before. The choice narrows and the rate can be higher.
Two full years opens up the mainstream. If you are three months from a second set of accounts, waiting is often worth more than any other change you could make.
Want this checked against your own situation?
Send us the figures and we will tell you what they mean. If it is not ours to advise on, we will say who should.
Ask us a questionPrefer WhatsApp? Message us there. We are open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 8pm.
This goes to a separately authorised firm we have vetted. The introduction costs you nothing. If you go ahead, we may be paid a fee by that firm.
Preparing an application
- Do not aggressively minimise profit in the two years before you apply
- File your tax return on time, because lenders want the tax year overview
- Keep business and personal accounts separate and tidy
- Avoid new business borrowing in the six months before applying
- Get your accountant ready to confirm figures if asked
- Know your net profit figure, not just your turnover
Where you stand
- You have two full years of filed accounts
- Your profit has been stable or rising
- Business and personal accounts are separate
- You have no recent business borrowing
- You have only one year of trading
- You are a director who leaves profit in the company
- Your latest year is lower than the year before
- You filed a return late or have an outstanding tax bill
Check broadband before you make an offer
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Questions people actually ask
Can I get a mortgage if I am self-employed?
How many years of accounts do I need?
What income do lenders use for a limited company director?
Does minimising tax hurt my mortgage application?
Will I pay a higher rate as a self-employed borrower?
How do I check broadband speed at a property?
Where to go next
Figures checked on 1 September 2026 and correct for the 2026/27 tax year. Rates change, so check the source before you act on a number.
Self-employed and not sure where you stand?
Send us how you trade and your figures. We will introduce you to a mortgage adviser who knows which lenders read them favourably.
Start a conversationPrefer WhatsApp? Message us there. We are open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 8pm.
This goes to a separately authorised firm we have vetted. The introduction costs you nothing. If you go ahead, we may be paid a fee by that firm.