SPECIALIST SELF-EMPLOYED MORTGAGE BROKERS

Self-Employed Mortgages UK: The High Street Says No. We Know Who Says Yes.

Most lenders ignore your retained profits and future growth. We apply forensic logic to find the lenders who understand your real earnings.

No initial credit score impact

Our Lending Partners — a selection of the mainstream and specialist lenders on our panel

Direct & Packaged Panel

Just a few of the lenders we quote

Over 65 direct high street banks and building societies plus specialist packaging desks.

Mortgage advice is provided by Hayden Richards, CeMAP-qualified, a Registered Individual of Marklay Mortgages Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 930490). Richards & Logic is a trading style of Marklay Mortgages Ltd. Through Marklay Mortgages' access to the Brilliant Solutions mortgage club, we evaluate cases across over 65 direct-to-lender high street banks and regional building societies, alongside dedicated packaging desks for complex, specialist, and commercial underwriting.

Do I Need a Specialist Mortgage Broker If High-Street Lenders Will Not Accept My Self-Employed Income?

Not always, but in the UK a specialist broker typically matters most when income is non-standard: limited company retained profit, one year of accounts, contractor day rates or overseas earnings. High-street lenders may apply fixed criteria; some brokers offer a comprehensive range of mortgages from across the market instead. Advice is subject to status and individual circumstances.

OUR COMMITMENT

The Human Way to Borrow

No More Ghosting

Expert support through every stage. We stay by your side until you have the keys in your hand.

No More Jargon

Simple, clear advice for complex earnings. We speak your business language, not the bank's.

No More Rejection

Direct access to specialist underwriters who understand complex business structures.

Specialist Underwriting for Every Business Type

Ltd Company Directors Sole Traders Day-Rate Contractors 1 Year's Accounts

Minimal Salary, High Dividends

You draw £12,570 for tax efficiency, but lenders only see the salary. We use salary + dividends + retained profits.

Only 1 Year of Accounts

High street banks want 2-3 years. Our specialist panel accepts 12 months' trading history for many sectors.

Retained Company Profits

Money left in your business is lending power. We find lenders who include these profits in your affordability.

Mixed Income Sources

Part-time PAYE + side hustle? Multiple businesses? We consolidate all streams into one strong application.

Missed Payments or a Low Credit Score

A blip on your credit file doesn't automatically rule you out of a self-employed mortgage. We match you with specialist lenders who manually underwrite these cases rather than relying on automated credit scoring.

THE FULL PICTURE

Every Self-Employed Situation, Explained

Self-employed income rarely fits one template. These are the factors that most often change what a lender will actually offer.

Retained profit

Profit left in a limited company rather than drawn as salary or dividends. Some specialist lenders can include a director's share of this profit in affordability, not just what was actually drawn.

Salary and dividends

The standard high street calculation. We explain how it's assessed, and when a lender that looks beyond it produces a materially different maximum loan size.

Declining or fluctuating income

A weaker recent year, or a day rate that varies between contracts, doesn't have to define the case. Lenders vary in whether they average, use the latest year, or want an explanation of the dip.

Recent trading-history changes

Changed from sole trader to limited company, taken on a new contract type, or only recently gone self-employed? How lenders treat continuity of income.

Required documents

SA302s and tax year overviews for sole traders; company accounts, accountant certificates and dividend vouchers for directors — what to have ready before you apply. Where accounts are limited, some lenders will assess bank statements as alternative income evidence instead.

Affordability calculations

How income multiples are applied to net profit, or to salary plus dividends plus retained profit for directors, and why the same income can produce very different offers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a mortgage with 1 year self-employed accounts?

Yes. While most high street banks require 2–3 years of accounts, specialist lenders may work from 1 year of self-assessment figures. They typically use your latest year's net profit, sometimes with an accountant's projection for year two, to calculate affordability.

Do lenders use net profit or gross income for a self-employed mortgage?

High street lenders typically use your salary plus the lower of your dividends or your net profit over a 2-year average. Specialist lenders typically calculate affordability using your salary plus your full share of net profit after corporation tax, which can significantly increase your assessed income.

Can retained profits be used for a mortgage?

Yes, with specialist lenders. Retained profits — money left inside your limited company that has not been drawn as salary or dividends — can be included in your assessable income by certain specialist underwriters. This is one of the biggest advantages of working with a specialist broker over a high street bank.

What is the maximum I can borrow as self-employed?

Specialist lenders typically apply income multipliers of 4.5–5× against your full assessable income including salary, dividends, and net profit share. For example, a director with £137,570 total assessable income could borrow up to £619,000 at 4.5×. This figure is illustrative only, based on example income assumptions. Actual borrowing depends on your specific circumstances, full lender underwriting, and credit assessment. Lender criteria vary.

I draw a low salary for tax reasons — will this hurt my mortgage application?

With a standard high street lender, yes. With a specialist lender, your salary is just one component. They typically assess your salary alongside dividends and your share of net company profits, rewarding tax-efficient structures rather than penalising them.

Can I get a self-employed mortgage with a missed payment or low credit score?

A blip on your credit file doesn't automatically rule out a self-employed mortgage. Some specialist lenders manually underwrite these cases rather than relying on automated credit scoring, and may look at the circumstances and how recent the issue was alongside your income. We'll tell you honestly where you stand once we've reviewed your file.

Do mainstream high street lenders accept self-employed applicants with 1 year's accounts?

Some mainstream high street lenders do have 1-year self-employed criteria, and we can access these — as well as a wider range of specialist lenders — through our whole-of-market mortgage club access. Which lender fits depends on your specific circumstances, so we'll confirm the right options once we've reviewed your case.

Risk warning

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

The guides and articles on this website are provided for general information only. They are not tailored to your personal circumstances and should not be treated as financial advice or a personal recommendation. If you would like advice based on your individual circumstances, please speak to an adviser.

Mortgage advice is provided by Hayden Richards, CeMAP-qualified, as a Registered Individual of Marklay Mortgages Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 930490). Richards & Logic is a trading style of Marklay Mortgages Ltd (FRN 930490, company no. 12183898). Website owned by MarketMedia Ltd (07765565).

Through Marklay Mortgages, enquiries can access:

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High Street

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Case Placement

Forensic packaging before lender submission

65-Lender Surveyor Criteria · Pre-Survey Screening

Found a Target Property While Running Your Business?

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HMLR comparables + 2025/26 SDLT calculations.

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Written & reviewed by Hayden Richards, CeMAP·FCA Authorised — Marklay Mortgages Ltd (FRN 930490)·Last reviewed: 7 August 2026