The money requirement, explained

What Is the Financial Requirement?

The financial requirement (detailed on the GOV.UK proof of income page) is a rule that says the UK-based sponsor must have a minimum income before their partner can get a UK Spouse Visa. The government introduced it to make sure families can support themselves without relying on public funds.

The figure is £29,000 a year for applications made on or after 11 April 2024. Before that it was £18,600, which had been in place since 2012. For the full history of how it changed, and of the larger increase that was announced but never made, see our income threshold timeline guide.

Two situations are treated differently:

• Someone who first applied as a partner before 11 April 2024 and is extending that visa is assessed against £18,600, plus £3,800 for a first child and £2,400 for each further child, capped at £29,000. Our transitional arrangements guide covers who that reaches.
• Where the sponsoring partner receives one of the disability or carer benefits listed on GOV.UK — Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance and Carer's Allowance are among them — there is no minimum income figure. An adequate maintenance test is used instead, based on income and housing costs.

Otherwise the requirement applies at the first application and again at the extension. The income must be from lawful sources and has to be evidenced with documents.

Who Needs to Meet the Financial Requirement?

The UK-based sponsor is the person primarily responsible for meeting the financial requirement. This is the British citizen or person with settled status who is sponsoring their partner's visa.

In some cases, the applicant's income can also count. If the applicant already has permission to work in the UK (for example, they are switching from another visa), their earnings can be combined with the sponsor's. If the applicant is applying from abroad, only the sponsor's income typically counts unless the applicant has overseas employment that can be verified.

Third-party income (such as a parent's or friend's income) cannot be used to meet the requirement. The income must belong to the sponsor or the applicant.

How to Meet the Requirement with Employment Income

The most common way to meet the financial requirement is through salaried employment. If the sponsor earns £29,000 or more per year from their job, they meet the threshold.

The Home Office will want to see:

• Payslips: At least 6 months of payslips from the current employer.
• Bank statements: 6 months of bank statements showing salary payments being received.
• Employer letter: A letter from the employer confirming the job title, salary, start date, and type of contract (permanent, fixed-term, etc.).
• P60: The most recent P60 showing annual earnings and tax paid.

If the sponsor has changed jobs within the last 6 months, additional evidence from the previous employer may also be needed. The key is to show a consistent income at or above £29,000.

For a complete list of all documents, see our Spouse Visa documents checklist.

Meeting the Requirement with Savings

If your income is below £29,000, you can use savings to make up the difference. The formula for calculating how much savings you need is:

£16,000 + 2.5 x (£29,000 minus your actual income) = required savings

For example, if the sponsor earns £22,000 per year, the shortfall is £7,000. The savings needed would be £16,000 + (2.5 x £7,000) = £33,500.

If you have no income at all, you would need £16,000 + (2.5 x £29,000) = £88,500 in savings.

The savings rules are strict:

• The money must have been held for at least 6 months before the application date.
• The savings must be in a bank or savings account. Property, investments, or pensions do not count.
• The savings can belong to either the sponsor or the applicant, or be held in a joint account.
• You must provide bank statements covering the full 6-month period showing the balance never dropped below the required amount.

Understanding the full cost of a Spouse Visa will help you plan your savings alongside the application fees and Immigration Health Surcharge.

Self-Employment Income

Self-employed sponsors can use their business income to meet the requirement. The Home Office accepts income from sole traders, freelancers, and company directors.

You will need to provide:

• Your most recent SA302 tax calculation from HMRC.
• The corresponding tax year overview.
• Bank statements showing income received over the relevant period.
• If you are a company director, also provide company accounts and evidence of your salary and dividends.

The Home Office will look at either your last full financial year or an average of your last two financial years, whichever is more favourable to you. If your most recent year shows £29,000 or more, that is sufficient. If it shows less, but your average over two years meets the threshold, that can also work.

Combining Income Sources

You do not have to rely on a single source. You can combine different income types to reach £29,000. Common combinations include:

• Employment income plus savings.
• Employment income plus self-employment income.
• Sponsor's income plus applicant's income (if the applicant has UK work permission).
• Employment income plus pension income or rental income (in some cases).

However, the rules for combining sources can be complex. If you are relying on a combination, consider getting advice from a qualified immigration solicitor to make sure your evidence is presented correctly.

Income from Non-Employment Sources

Certain other income types can count towards the financial requirement, including:

• Pension income: State pension or private pension payments can count if they are above the threshold or can top up employment income.
• Rental income: Income from property you own can be included, but you must provide tenancy agreements, bank statements showing rent received, and evidence of property ownership.
• Maternity, paternity, or adoption pay: These count as employment income if you are still employed and will return to work.

Benefits and tax credits (such as Universal Credit, Child Benefit, or Housing Benefit) cannot be used to meet the financial requirement.

The Financial Requirement for Extensions

When you extend your Spouse Visa after the initial 33-month period, you must meet the financial requirement again. The threshold is the same: £29,000 per year (or the equivalent in savings).

By the time of the extension, the applicant may also be working in the UK. If so, their income can now be combined with the sponsor's. This often makes the extension application easier than the initial one.

After five years on a Spouse Visa, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). The ILR application also has a financial requirement, but it is typically the same threshold and can be met in the same ways.

Common Mistakes That Lead to Refusal

The evidence rules are detailed, and spouse visa applications are refused on them as well as on the figure itself. You can check the latest fee schedule on GOV.UK. These are the most common mistakes:

• Insufficient bank statements: Not providing the full 6 months of statements, or providing statements that do not clearly show salary payments.
• Employer letter missing key details: The letter must confirm salary, job title, start date, and contract type. A vague letter is not enough.
• Using savings that were not held for 6 months: Even if you have enough money, it must have been in your account for at least 6 months.
• Counting income that does not qualify: Benefits, gifts from family, or income from illegal work cannot be used.
• Not matching documents: The name and amounts on payslips, bank statements, and the employer letter must match. Any discrepancy can cause a refusal.

If your application has been refused, read our what to do if your visa is refused guide for next steps.

Whether the Requirement Will Change

The December 2023 announcement described a rise in stages from £18,600 to £29,000, then £34,500, then £38,700. Only the £29,000 stage was written into the Immigration Rules. The stages above it were announced in April 2024 and referred to the Migration Advisory Committee, the independent body that advises the government on immigration, which published its review of the family financial requirements on 10 June 2025. No government response has been published, and no date exists for a further increase. The GOV.UK financial requirements page carries the figure in force, and our guide to the £38,700 figure traces where that number came from.

Understanding the full costs is also important. See our complete UK visa fees guide and our hidden costs of immigration guide to budget properly for your application.

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