News Self-employed and credit
For when your income, credit history or circumstances don't fit a standard application.
Lenders do not all assess income and credit in the same way. One may use a company director’s salary and dividends, another their share of the company’s profits. One may decline a missed payment from three years ago that another will accept. These guides explain how lenders look at the less straightforward cases.
Being declined once does not always mean you cannot get a mortgage. Sometimes the application simply went to a lender whose criteria did not fit. We are not tied to any lender and search a panel of 110+.
Think carefully before securing other debts against your home. Adding debts to a mortgage can mean paying more interest overall, and your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments.
Guide · Updated September 2026 · 4 min
Yes, you can get a mortgage if you’re self-employed or a company director. See how lenders work out your income, how many years’ accounts you need, and whether dividends or net profit gets you more.
Guide · Updated September 2026 · 9 min
Yes, you can usually get a mortgage as a contractor, CIS subcontractor, agency worker, or on a fixed-term or zero-hours contract. Here’s how lenders typically work out your income and what you’ll need.
Guide · Updated September 2026 · 4 min
You can often get a mortgage with bad credit. How lenders view CCJs, defaults, DMPs, IVAs, bankruptcy and payday loans, why there’s no single credit score, and practical steps to improve your chances.
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