Which Lenders Accept Umbrella Company Contractors?
A large group of UK lenders will lend to contractors paid through an umbrella company — but they differ sharply on whether they work from your gross day rate or your umbrella payslips, which can change the affordability figure by tens of thousands.
As of 2026-08-10, published criteria from 39 of the 58 UK lenders we track can accommodate this scenario — 10 high-street, 21 building societies and 8 specialist — with minimum deposits from 1%.
Data refreshed 2026-08-10. Information only — not advice.
Your situation
High Street Lenders
- Bank of Ireland— Up to 95% LTV
- Barclays— Up to 95% LTV
- Clydesdale Bank— Up to 95% LTV
- Halifax— Up to 95% LTV
- HSBC— Up to 95% LTV
- Metro Bank— Up to 95% LTV
- Nationwide— Up to 95% LTV
- NatWest— Up to 95% LTV
- Santander— Up to 95% LTV
- Virgin Money— Up to 95% LTV
Building Societies
- Accord Mortgages— Up to 99% LTV
- Beverley Building Society— Up to 95% LTV
- Buckinghamshire Building Society— Up to 90% LTV
- Chorley Building Society— Up to 95% LTV
- Coventry Building Society— Up to 95% LTV
- Darlington Building Society— See lender criteria
- Ecology Building Society— See lender criteria
- Family Building Society— Up to 80% LTV
- Furness Building Society— Up to 95% LTV
- Godiva Mortgages— Up to 95% LTV
- Harpenden BS— Up to 80% LTV
- Hinckley & Rugby Building Society— Up to 95% LTV
- Leeds Building Society— Up to 95% LTV
- Loughborough Building Society— Up to 95% LTV
- Newcastle Building Society— Up to 95% LTV
- Nottingham Building Society— Up to 95% LTV
- Saffron Building Society— Up to 95% LTV
- Suffolk Building Society— Up to 95% LTV
- The Melton Building Society— See lender criteria
- Vernon Building Society— Up to 95% LTV
- West Bromwich Building Society— Up to 95% LTV
Specialist Lenders
- Aldermore— Up to 95% LTV
- Foundation Home Loans— Up to 90% LTV
- Gatehouse Bank— Up to 80% LTV
- LendInvest— Up to 90% LTV
- Pepper Money— See lender criteria
- Tandem Bank— Up to 90% LTV
- Vida Homeloans— Up to 97% LTV
- West One Loans— Up to 97.5% LTV
A lender name is only half the answer — the amount each might lend varies by tens of thousands — our figures are conservative estimates, not offers.
See your figuresWhy some lenders say no
- Some lenders calculate from the umbrella payslip (after umbrella fees and deductions) rather than the gross contract rate — a materially lower income figure.
- Short contracting history: many lenders want 12 months' contracting (or 2 years in the same line of work) before using day-rate maths.
- Gaps between contracts over 6-8 weeks in the last 12 months make some lenders treat income as unreliable.
- A handful of lenders decline umbrella arrangements outright and only consider Ltd company or PAYE fixed-term contractors.
Related reading: Which lenders use contractor day-rate income? · How mortgage affordability is calculated · Umbrella contractor mortgages — specialist deep-dive
See an estimate of what each of these lenders might lend you
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Run My Affordability CheckFrequently asked questions
Do lenders use my day rate or my umbrella payslip?
It varies by lender, and it is the single biggest driver of how much you can borrow. Day-rate lenders typically annualise your gross contract rate (day rate x 5 x 46-48 weeks). Payslip lenders use the taxable pay on your umbrella payslips, which is lower because umbrella margin, employer NI and holiday pay have already come out. The same contractor can see five-figure differences in maximum loan between the two methods.
How much contracting history do I need?
Commonly 12 months of contracting, or 2 years in the same type of work with a current contract in place. Some lenders will consider a first-time contractor on day one if the contract has 6+ months to run and you have relevant employment history behind it.
Does being inside IR35 matter?
Working through an umbrella usually means the role is inside IR35, and lenders are comfortable with that — what they care about is a clean payment history and an active contract. You do not need to explain the IR35 status itself; you will need umbrella payslips, the underlying contract, and usually bank statements showing the credits.
What paperwork will I need?
Typically your current contract (showing the day or hourly rate), the last 3 months of umbrella payslips, and 3 months of bank statements. Lenders using contract-rate maths may also ask for your CV or work history to show continuity.
