Question 1

Can I get a mortgage while on paternity leave?

Accepted Answer

Yes — you can apply for a mortgage while on paternity or adoption leave. The key is that most lenders will base their affordability assessment on your contracted salary (the income you will return to) rather than the reduced statutory paternity pay you are currently receiving. This is the same principle applied to maternity leave mortgage applications. You will typically need to provide an employer letter confirming your contracted salary, your planned return-to-work date, and that your role is being held open for you. Some lenders also require confirmation that you intend to return to work after leave ends.

Question 2

Will a lender use my statutory paternity pay or my full salary for affordability?

Accepted Answer

Most lenders will use your full contracted salary for affordability, not the statutory paternity pay you are currently receiving. Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) in 2026 is paid for up to 2 weeks at the lower of £187.18 per week or 90% of average weekly earnings — significantly below most borrowers' regular income. Basing affordability on this figure would make most mortgages unaffordable, so lenders assess the income you will return to. Enhanced paternity pay (paid by your employer above the statutory minimum) is also used where documented. The lender needs confidence that you will return to work — this is why the employer letter is critical.

Question 3

What evidence does a lender need during paternity leave?

Accepted Answer

Typical evidence required includes: recent payslips from before leave started (usually 3 months), showing your contracted salary; an employer letter confirming your job title, contracted hours and salary, your planned return date, and that your position is being held open; your most recent P60 as income confirmation; bank statements showing salary history and current income (including any paternity pay being received); and any enhanced paternity pay documentation from your employer. Some lenders also request a letter confirming you intend to return to work. The strength and clarity of the employer letter is often the deciding factor in how comfortable a lender is with the application.

Question 4

Does adoption leave work the same as paternity leave for mortgage purposes?

Accepted Answer

Yes — adoption leave is assessed the same way as paternity or maternity leave for mortgage purposes. Statutory Adoption Pay (SAP) is paid at the same rate as Statutory Maternity Pay for the first 6 weeks (90% of average weekly earnings, uncapped) and then at the lower of £187.18 per week or 90% of earnings thereafter. As with paternity leave, most lenders will use your contracted return-to-work salary rather than the current SAP. An employer confirmation letter detailing your role, salary, and return date is required in the same way. Shared adoption leave taken by either partner is treated the same as individual adoption leave.

Question 5

Can a self-employed person on paternity leave get a mortgage?

Accepted Answer

Self-employed borrowers on paternity leave face a different challenge: there is no "contracted salary to return to" and no employer letter. Self-employed paternity leave is informal — you stop working temporarily, and your income drops. For mortgage purposes, lenders will assess self-employed income from your SA302s and accounts in the normal way. If your most recent year of accounts reflects the period of leave and shows significantly lower income, this will affect the lender's assessment. The strongest approach is to apply before taking leave (when income is at its normal level), or after returning and once recent earnings evidence shows your income has resumed at the expected level.

Question 6

Are there lenders who are more flexible about paternity leave applications?

Accepted Answer

Yes — lenders vary in how comfortably they handle parental leave applications. Some mainstream lenders have established procedures for maternity, paternity, and adoption leave cases and accept employer letters readily. Others are less experienced and may decline on the basis of current income alone. Specialist lenders and building societies that offer manual underwriting are often more sympathetic, particularly where the employer letter is clear and comprehensive. A whole-of-market broker familiar with parental leave applications will know which lenders currently process these cases most smoothly and are least likely to make a decision on reduced leave income alone.

Paternity Leave Mortgage FAQ