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For sole traders, directors and contractors

Self-employed mortgage guides.
Know what to prepare.

Working for yourself brings different mortgage questions. Find clear UK guides to income, accounts, tax records and lender checks, so you can prepare for a more useful conversation about your plans.

Find the guide you need Get self-employed mortgage advice

Start with your situation. Understand the evidence. Ask clearer questions.

These guides provide general information, not a personal mortgage recommendation. Lender criteria can change. Check each article’s date and confirm the evidence and terms that apply to your circumstances.

Choose your starting point

What do you need to understand?

You do not need every answer at once. Start with the question closest to your situation, then use the detail to prepare your next step.

Understanding income

How will a lender assess my income?

Explore how profits, salary, dividends and changes in earnings can affect the income figure a lender uses.

Understand income assessment
Preparing documents

Which income records will I need?

Get to know the accounts, tax records and supporting evidence that may help explain your earnings.

Prepare your income evidence
Trading history

Is my trading history long enough?

Understand why the length of time you have worked for yourself matters, and what to check before applying.

Explore trading history
A shorter track record

One year of accounts and no SA302?

Start with why the tax calculation is missing, the period your accounts cover and the evidence to discuss.

Check your evidence options
Making sense of tax records

What does an SA302 actually show?

See how to read a Self Assessment tax calculation and how it differs from a tax year overview.

Understand your tax calculation
Comparing lenders

How can I compare lenders?

Check how a lender treats your income and business before comparing rates, fees and the wider mortgage terms.

Compare the details that matter

The full collection

Explore all self-employed mortgage guides

Browse more questions about buying, remortgaging and rental property when you work for yourself. Dates shown are publication dates; check each article for its latest review information.

Before you apply

A few useful answers.

Understand the evidence and the limits before choosing your next step.

For official document guidance, see GOV.UK’s SA302 and tax year overview guidance.

Can I get a mortgage if I am self-employed?

Being self-employed does not automatically prevent you from getting a mortgage. Lenders assess your income evidence, spending, credit history, deposit and the property. Your business structure and trading history can affect which criteria apply. Approval depends on the lender’s assessment of your circumstances.

How many years of accounts will I need?

There is no single minimum that applies to every lender and every type of self-employed income. The records and trading history required depend on the lender, your business structure and your circumstances. A shorter history can limit your options, so check current criteria before choosing a lender or paying application costs.

What is the difference between an SA302 and a tax year overview?

An SA302 is your Self Assessment tax calculation. A tax year overview shows your tax position for a particular tax year. A lender may ask for both. Check which documents and tax years it accepts; a tax return, set of accounts and tax calculation are different records.

Will all of my business income count?

Not automatically. Business turnover is not the same as personal income. Depending on your business structure and the lender’s criteria, an assessment may use profits, salary, dividends or other accepted income evidence. Contractors can be assessed differently. Changes in income and regular commitments also matter.

Can a calculator tell me what a lender will offer?

No. A repayment calculator estimates payments from the loan amount, interest rate and term you enter. It does not decide which self-employed income a lender will accept or whether an application will be approved. Use the figures to plan questions, then check affordability and eligibility with an adviser or lender.

Turn your preparation into a practical next step

You know your business.
Let’s talk about your mortgage.

Tell Count Ready how you work, what you want to buy or change, and which income records you have. We can help you understand what needs checking before you choose a mortgage route.

Request a free initial consultation Call 01245 934515

The initial consultation is free. Fees for further work vary by case and are agreed before chargeable work begins. See our Terms of Business.

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