Looking for a Self-Employed Mortgage? Part 1
Caz Blake-Symes • February 11, 2020
Let Bristol & Bath Mortgages Online help you get a mortgage

Is it harder to get a mortgage if you are Self-Employed?
If you’re self-employed, it can be more of a challenge to get a mortgage because you’ll need to prove you have a reliable income. But getting a mortgage when self-employed is certainly not impossible. There are plenty of ways to prove to a mortgage lender that you have a reliable income, it’s usually just a case of jumping through a few extra hoops.
What counts as self-employed?
Lenders will view you as self-employed if you own more than 20% to 25% of a business, from which you earn your main income.
You could be a sole trader, a partner, a company director, or a contractor.
How do you get a self-employed mortgage?
If you’re self-employed and looking for a mortgage, you will, in theory, have access to the same range of mortgages as everybody else and you’ll need to pass the lender’s affordability tests in the same way as any other borrower.
But because there is no employer to vouch for your wage, self-employed people are required to provide far more evidence of their income than other borrowers.
Since the introduction of the Mortgage Market Review in 2014, mortgage providers have considerably tightened up their lending criteria and need to be convinced you can afford your mortgage before they agree to lend you the money.
What will I need to provide for a self-employed mortgage?
To prove your income when you apply for a self-employed mortgage, you will need to provide. Most banks and lenders will want to see a minimum of 2 or more years’ proof of income.
However, subject to meeting the lender’s criteria, we can offer mortgages to those with only 1 year’s proof of income.
Other specific evidence will be:
- SA302 forms and a tax year overview (from HMRC) for the past two or three years
- Evidence of upcoming contracts (if you’re a contractor)
- Evidence of dividend payments or retained profits (if you’re a company director)
For further details and to book your FREE CONSULTATION
with one of our expert Mortgage Advisers please contact us
Bristol Mortgages Online www.bristolmortgagesonline.com
Tel 0117 325 1511
Bath Mortgages Online www.bathmortgagesonline.com
Tel 01225 584 888
Exeter Mortgages Online www.exetermortgagesonline.com
Tel 01392 690 888
Email info@swmortgages.com
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Adapted from Zoopla’s April 2025 Housing report I mage: The analysis uses average house prices from the house price index and for first-time buyers to assess mortgage payments at different mortgage rates applied to a 30- year mortgage, at different loan-to-values. One emerging trend that we expect to positively support market activity in the coming months is a relaxation in how lenders assess the affordability of new mortgages. While buyers focus on the mortgage rate they will pay, lenders also check whether the borrower can afford a 'stressed mortgage rate' at a higher level than the borrower will pay. While the average 5-year fixed rate mortgage is around 4.5% today, many lenders are currently 'stress testing' affordability at 8-9%. This makes it harder to secure a mortgage without a large deposit. If average mortgage stress rates were to return to pre-2022 levels of 6.5% to 7%, this would deliver a 15-20% boost to buying power. An average first-time buyer with mortgage repayments of £1,020pcm at a 4.5% mortgage rate would typically have to prove they could afford monthly repayments of £1,550pcm at an 8.5% stress rate. If the stress testing is relaxed to 6.5%, repayments would fall to £1,275pcm, boosting buying power. It's a similar pattern for the average homeowner, while the actual impact will vary by lender and type of borrower. This change would consequently supporting demand and sales volumes, helping to clear the stock of homes for sale, rather than boosting house prices. Other existing rules and regulations that remain in place will continue to impact the availability of mortgage finance. Comment from Phil Clark “This is potentially very exciting news and will give borrowers a greater choice of products if these rules are relaxed. Regardless of whether you are a First-time Buyer, Looking to move, remortgage or invest in property, there are a huge range of competitive mortgage deals on the market. I will be delighted to discuss your specific requirements and offer you the most suitable deal!” Please call Phil on 0117 3251511 or email info@swmortgages.com For more information about the Mortgage and Protection products we offer, please visit www.bristolmortgagesonline.com Your home/property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage or other debt secured on it.

Here at Bristol, Bath and Exeter Mortgages Online, we understand that getting your first mortgage, or even a remortgage, especially if your circumstances have changed, may look like an impossible task, but we are here to help.
We hold your hand from your initial enquiry through to the completion of your purchase. It's not that tricky and there are ways you can improve your odds and boost your chances of a successful mortgage application.

Adapted from BBC Article by Kevin Peachey, Cost of living correspondent 13 February 2025 Two major lenders launched mortgage deals on Thursday with interest rates of less than 4%, as competition picks up in the sector. The prospect of further cuts in the base rate by the Bank of England has given mortgage providers confidence to reduce their own rates. But the attention-grabbing sub-4% deals by Santander and Barclays will not be available to all borrowers, particularly first-time buyers, and may come with a hefty fee. The return of such deals might prompt other lenders to follow suit after a period of tepid competition. Nationwide, the UK's biggest building society, has said it will reduce some of its rates on Friday. Mortgage deals with interest rates below 4% have not been seen since November. Across the whole market the average rate on a two-year fixed deal is 5.48%. The typical rate on five-year deals is 5.29%, according to latest figures from Moneyfacts. Time to decide Some tracker and variable rate mortgages move fairly closely in line with the Bank's base rate, which was cut to 4.5% a week ago. However, more than eight in 10 mortgage customers have fixed-rate deals. The interest rate on this kind of mortgage does not change until the deal expires, usually after two or five years, and a new one is chosen to replace it. About 800,000 fixed-rate mortgages, currently with an interest rate of 3% or below, are expected to expire every year, on average, until the end of 2027. That means a higher monthly bill for many homeowners on their next renewal, but there are signs that the rate they could pay is on its way down. Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey said the interest-rate setting committee expected to be able to cut rates further "but we will have to judge meeting by meeting, how far and how fast". This will affect savers who are seeing lower returns, but could bring better news for borrowers. The Bank's next rates decision is on 20 March. Message from Phil Clark “Regardless of whether you are a First-time Buyer, Looking to move, remortgage or invest in property, there are a huge range of competitive mortgage deals on the market. I will be delighted to discuss your specific requirements and offer you the most suitable deal!” Please call Phil on 0117 3251511 or email info@swmortgages.com For more information about Mortgage and Protection please visit www.bristolmortgagesonline.com