Specialist financial providers could help ease the struggle faced by those with complex incomes
This editorial was originally published by L&G Mortgage Club.
For those who are classed as having a complex income, accessing the finance they need to achieve their property ownership goals can often seem a daunting prospect. Historically viewed as riskier applicants, especially by traditional financial providers, many can face challenges with automatic affordability assessments and outdated systems which fail to consider the full picture of a person’s financial viability.
Customers with complex income may include those who are self-employed, contractors, people who work multiple jobs or whose source of income comes from overseas. In the UK market, the steady rise in self-employment is making it increasingly important for this category of prospective homebuyers to be better served by the industry. According to Statista, the number of self-employed workers in the UK hit 4.4 million in April 2025 and, while still below levels seen during the height of the Covid pandemic, this marks an increase of 37.5% since December 2000.[1] In reality, an individual who may be classified as having a complex income isn’t necessarily a complex case, but is a reflection of the modern working environment and could also be part of an uplift in demand from overseas customers looking to invest in the UK property market.
The importance of choice
Research released in 2023 found that 40% of self-employed individuals think providers need to be more understanding when it comes to those with complex incomes.[2] What this tells us is that an increase in the number of people with complex incomes alone hasn’t managed to quash outdated ideas and remove difficulties faced when accessing property finance. Instead, having a wider range of specialist providers, including those who are Shariah-compliant and who have experience of dealing with differing incomes, could be key to making the process smoother for those based overseas or working in a self-employed capacity. This is backed up by research, as 38% of self-employed individuals think that having more specialist lenders in the market that cater to those with complex incomes would make the home finance application process easier, while 32% said working with a broker that has a specialism for self-employed home finance would ease the process for them.[3]
At Gatehouse Bank, our Business Development Managers have the knowledge and expertise that come from helping customers from all over the world and who have complex incomes to achieve their property ownership goals and so have seen first-hand what a difference this can make. Additionally, due to the manual nature of our underwriting processes, we are able to take a more pragmatic approach than many traditional providers who rely on automatic assessments as we can look at applications on a case-by-case basis when necessary.
Considerations for those with complex incomes
When presenting complex income cases to your bank or financial provider, ensuring that a case is well-packaged and displayed clearly can make all the difference and turn a complex case into a simple one. Providing a statement of wealth or broker note explaining the income type can avoid delays further in the process. It is also really important that a full picture of the customer’s income sources is built from the outset. This could involve digging deeper into an individual’s circumstances or providing evidence that a person’s business is growing because doing so can reveal hidden affordability and boost the finance amount available in some cases.
For self-employed customers based overseas, it is key to have an accountant who understands the tax implications and documents needed for the jurisdiction within their country of residence. This can help create a smooth customer journey and provides peace of mind to their chosen financial provider too.
Ultimately, the need to accommodate for complex income cases is something that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. The UK market is shifting to a model seeing increasing number of individuals who are self-employed or working in a non-traditional sense as well as an increased interest from overseas investors attracted to the property market. As a Shariah-compliant provider, we see on a daily basis the benefits that come from having more specialist providers on hand to assist for those cases who don’t fit the mould. Instead, we welcome a new approach to property finance which sees the individual behind the application and has the necessary processes in place to support this.
- Statista, Number of self-employed workers in the UK 2000-2025
- The Mortgage Lender, Lenders need greater understanding of complex cases, says the self-employed
- The Mortgage Lender, Lenders need greater understanding of complex cases, says the self-employed