Can You Get a Mortgage While on Probation?
Starting a new job on probation doesn't stop you getting a mortgage — it just narrows the lender choice. Of the 89 lenders in our tracked panel, 70 accept probation applicants with a signed permanent contract, a further 15 assess it case-by-case, and only 1 declines outright. Here's who says yes, who doesn't, and the supporting documents you'll need. Last reviewed July 2026.
Quick answer
Yes — starting a new job on probation doesn't stop you getting a UK mortgage. Of the 89 lenders in our tracked panel, 70 accept probation applicants with a signed permanent contract — including Halifax, Nationwide, HSBC, Barclays, NatWest, Santander, Skipton, Leeds BS, Accord, Principality, TSB and Virgin Money. A further 15 assess it case-by-case, and only Perenna declines outright.
The Mortgage Probation Period: What Lenders Mean by "Probation"
Probation in employment law is just an initial period during which either party can end the employment with shorter notice than the substantive contract would require — typically 3, 6 or 12 months. Most lenders care about two things:
- Do you have a signed permanent employment contract? (Not fixed-term.)
- Is there any evidence your previous job was continuous with this one (same industry, promoted role, same employer group)?
"How long into probation" matters less than applicants often assume.
Can I Get a Mortgage in My Probation Period?
Yes. Being in your probation period doesn't rule you out — most lenders (70 of the 89 we track) will assess your application in the normal way as soon as you have a signed permanent contract, whatever stage of probation you're at. A further 15 assess it case-by-case, and the rest usually want a completed probation, or at least a few months' continuity, before they'll lend.
This holds whether you're one week or five months into a six-month probation period — lenders are mostly looking at the strength of your contract and evidence of career continuity, not the calendar. See the lender-by-lender table below for who accepts probation with no extra conditions and who waits. If you're buying with a partner who is past probation, their settled income carries more of the assessment — see how joint mortgage affordability is worked out.
Lenders by Probation Position — Full Panel
Generated 2026-07-28 from our lender criteria dataset (verified 2026-06-24), covering the 89 of 95 lenders whose published criteria address a minimum employment tenure. Always check lender-specific rules before applying, as these change.
No minimum stated — accepted from day one (5 lenders)
Accord, Co-operative Bank, Family BS, Hodge, Vida.
1 month (1 lender)
Tandem.
3 months (9 lenders)
Aldermore, Bluestone, Ecology BS, Foundation, Mansfield BS, Melton BS, Nottingham BS, Principality, The Mortgage Lender.
6 months (10 lenders)
Dudley BS, Gatehouse, Loughborough BS, Metro Bank, NatWest, Pepper, Skipton, Tipton & Coseley BS, Together, UTB.
12 months (1 lender)
Vernon BS.
Accepts probation applicants, no minimum tenure published (44 lenders)
AIB, Atom Bank, Bank of Ireland, Barclays, Bath BS, Beverley BS, CHL Mortgages, Central Trust, Chorley BS, Coutts, Cumberland BS, Darlington BS, Earl Shilton BS, Furness BS, HSBC, Halifax, Hanley BS, Harpenden BS, Kensington, Landbay, Leeds BS, Lendco, Lendinvest, Livemore, Market Harborough BS, Moda, Molo Finance, Monmouthshire BS, Nationwide, Newbury BS, Norton, Progressive BS, Rely, Roma Finance, SBI UK, Saffron BS, Santander, TSB, Teachers BS, The Mortgage Works, Virgin Money, West Brom, West One, Zephyr.
Case-by-case referral (15 lenders)
Buckinghamshire BS, Cambridge BS, Coventry BS, Generation Home, Interbay, LG Home Finance, Marsden BS, Newcastle BS, Penrith BS, Precise, Quantum Mortgages, Scottish BS, Skipton International, Suffolk BS (states a 12-month benchmark within its case-by-case review), Swansea BS.
Documentation check needed (3 lenders)
HTB, Hinckley & Rugby BS, Stafford BS.
Declines (1 lenders)
Perenna.
Some lenders tracked here (for example Landbay, Molo Finance and Zephyr) are specialist buy-to-let lenders that also carry a residential criteria entry in our dataset — included for completeness, but not typical high-street options for most applicants on probation.
Documents You'll Need
- Signed permanent employment contract (with salary, probation length, notice period, start date)
- Latest 1–3 payslips (depends on lender; pre-start applicants submit on first payslip)
- 3 months of bank statements showing the previous salary arriving before the job change
- Optional but helpful: a short letter from the new employer confirming the start date, role, and expected probation outcome
- If you've moved industry: any evidence that your prior skills transfer (LinkedIn recommendations, training certifications)
Does It Matter If Your Probation Is 3, 6 or 12 Months?
Less than most applicants assume. Few lenders count down your probation calendar — what they actually check is whether you have a signed permanent contract and, if you're new to the role or industry, some evidence of continuity beforehand. That prior-history requirement is where lenders really differ, and it varies far more than probation length itself:
- NatWest and Leeds BS: 6 months' continuous employment required (probation can sit inside that window).
- Hanley BS and Market Harborough BS: 12 months' continuous employment or prior work history required.
- Newbury BS: a 3-year continuous employment history required before probation is considered.
- Coventry BS: 6+ months' prior permanent employment in a similar role.
So a 3-week probation with 12 months of continuous prior employment in the same field can pass at more lenders than a 5-month probation following a career change with no comparable history. It's the track record either side of the job move that most lenders are underwriting, not the calendar.
Lenders With No Minimum Employment History Rule
A handful of lenders don't apply a prior-history test at all — once you have a signed permanent contract and your first payslip, probation itself is disregarded:
- Accord: employment must be permanent with no minimum tenure required — all probationary periods can be disregarded.
- TSB: probationary contracts accepted at 100% of income, without reduction.
- Virgin Money: probation accepted with a permanent contract and first payslip, regardless of the standard 6-month tenure test.
- Nationwide: applicants in a probation period are simply listed as acceptable.
These sit at the flexible end of the panel. Most of the rest of the lenders in the table above will still lend on probation, but expect to be asked for some continuity evidence first.
Common Mistakes
Applying to a Lender That Doesn't Accept Probation
A hard-search decline sits on your credit file for 12 months. Running an affordability check across all 58 lenders before applying stops you from wasting a search on a lender that would never have said yes.
Not Declaring the Probation
Lenders check employment with HR or via Experian's employment-verification product. Undeclared probation coming out in underwriting is a guaranteed decline. Declare upfront.
Applying Before the Contract Is Signed
An offer letter isn't enough for most lenders. A fully signed contract (both parties, all pages) is the minimum. If your contract hasn't arrived yet, wait — a rushed application with a missing contract will be withdrawn by the lender.
Can I Remortgage While I'm on Probation?
Usually, yes. If you're staying with your existing lender through a product transfer, being on probation is unlikely to matter — most lenders don't re-run a full affordability check for a like-for-like product transfer. Moving to a new lender means a full remortgage, which reassesses your probation exactly as it would for a purchase application.
Product Transfer (Staying with Your Lender)
Switching to a new rate with your current lender is normally a product transfer rather than a new mortgage application. Product transfers typically don't involve a fresh affordability assessment, so being mid-probation on a new job usually doesn't affect the rate on offer — though it's worth confirming with your lender directly, since policies vary.
Full Remortgage (Moving to a New Lender)
Moving your mortgage to a different lender is a full remortgage, and the new lender will assess your probation exactly as it would for a purchase — using the same signed-contract and continuity evidence covered above. Check the lender-by-lender table above before applying so you don't waste a credit search on a lender that won't accept probation.
See Product Transfer vs Remortgage for how the two compare, and Remortgage Affordability for how lenders assess a full remortgage application.
Original data · our Lender Lottery study
As of August 2026, a Professional, £80,000 could be offered £516,147 by Hodge Bank but only £292,652 by Dudley Building Society — a £223,495 (76%) swing based purely on which lender they ask, with no change to income, deposit or circumstances.
Source: the Lender Lottery study — original real-engine data across UK residential lenders.
See Which Probation-Friendly Lender Will Offer the Most
Our tool filters to lenders comfortable with your exact employment position. Results in 2 minutes, no credit search.
Run My Affordability CheckFrequently Asked Questions
Can I get a mortgage while on probation?
Yes. Of the 89 lenders in our tracked panel whose published criteria address this, 70 will consider applicants on probation with a signed permanent contract, a further 15 assess it case-by-case with evidence of continuity from your previous employment, and 3 need extra documentation. Only Perenna publishes an outright decline.
Which UK lenders accept probation?
Lenders typically comfortable with probation include Halifax, Nationwide, HSBC, Barclays, NatWest, Santander, Skipton, Leeds BS, Accord, Principality, TSB, and Virgin Money. Coventry BS assesses probation case-by-case rather than accepting it outright. Only Perenna publishes an outright decline in our dataset. The exact list changes — check lender-by-lender before applying, and see the full table below.
Can I get a mortgage in my probation period?
Yes. Being in your probation period doesn't rule you out — most lenders (70 of the 89 we track) will assess your application normally once you have a signed permanent contract, whatever stage of probation you're at. A further 15 assess it case-by-case, and the rest usually want probation completed, or a few months' continuity, before they'll lend.
Can I remortgage while I'm on probation?
Usually, yes. A product transfer with your existing lender typically doesn't involve a fresh affordability check, so probation is unlikely to affect it — though check with your lender directly, since policies vary. Moving to a new lender is a full remortgage, which assesses your probation exactly as it would for a purchase application.
Does it matter how long I've been in probation?
Less than you'd think. Most lenders care more about the signed permanent contract than elapsed weeks. If you're 4 weeks into a 6-month probation with a signed permanent contract on £45k, you can still apply with most mainstream lenders.
What if I'm about to start a new job?
Many lenders accept applications with a signed contract dated within the next 3 months — so long as you have a start date. Halifax, Nationwide, Barclays, Santander all allow pre-start applications. Some require your first payslip; others accept the contract alone.
Is probation a bigger issue if I've changed industry?
Potentially. Lenders look for employment continuity. Moving from a £40k IT role to a £55k IT role in probation is low-risk. Moving from a £40k bartender role to a £55k sales-commission role in probation with variable income is higher-risk. In the second case, expect to be asked for 3–12 months' evidence of earnings.
Does it matter if my probation is 3, 6 or 12 months long?
Less than the length of your prior employment history. Most lenders don't count down your probation calendar — they check whether you have a signed permanent contract and, if you're new to the role or industry, a track record beforehand. That prior-history requirement varies far more than probation length itself: NatWest and Leeds BS ask for 6 months' continuous employment, Hanley BS and Market Harborough BS ask for 12 months, and Newbury BS asks for a 3-year continuous employment history. A handful — Accord, TSB, Virgin Money and Nationwide — disregard probation and prior tenure entirely once you have a signed permanent contract and first payslip.
Which lenders have no minimum employment history rule at all?
Accord states employment must be permanent with no minimum tenure required and all probationary periods can be disregarded. TSB accepts probationary contracts at 100% of income without reduction. Virgin Money accepts probation once you have a permanent contract and first payslip, regardless of your 6-month tenure. Nationwide simply lists applicants in a probation period as acceptable. These sit at the more flexible end of the panel — most other lenders still want some evidence of continuity, as above.
Related guides
Changing Jobs Mid-Application
What a new job does to your application — and how to time it.
Mortgages on Maternity Leave
How lenders treat maternity pay and return-to-work income.
Overtime, Bonus & Commission
How variable pay counts towards your mortgage — lender by lender.
Lenders That Accept Benefits Income
Child benefit, UC and disability benefits — who counts what.
