The spouse visa financial requirement in 2026
To obtain a UK spouse or partner visa, a couple must show that they can support themselves without public funds. For new applications made since 11 April 2024 that means a combined gross income of at least £29,000 a year, or savings that make up the shortfall, or one of the exceptions the rules allow. It is the part of the application most often refused, and the reason is rarely that the couple cannot afford to live: it is that the income was shown in the wrong way. This guide explains how the requirement is assessed. For the whole application, see our UK spouse visa guide.
How the £29,000 is calculated
The figure is gross, before tax and national insurance, and is counted as an annual amount. Income from several sources can be added together, if each is one the rules recognise and each is evidenced in the way the rules prescribe:
- your partner’s employment in the UK, whether salaried, from a company they own or from self-employment;
- your own employment in the UK, if you are already here with permission to work;
- pensions, including the UK State Pension and overseas pensions;
- rental income from property, and dividends and interest from investments;
- specified savings, converted into an equivalent income as set out below.
A third party, such as a parent, cannot ordinarily make up a shortfall by promising to support you. The rules recognise a narrow list of exceptions, so do not rely on a family member’s gift or promise without checking.
Which category of income applies
The rules sort income into categories, and each has its own documents and its own period. The category that applies depends on how the income is earned and how long it has been earned. In broad terms:
| How the income is earned | What the Home Office looks for |
|---|---|
| Salaried employment held for six months or more | Payslips for six months counted back from the date of application, matching bank statements, and a dated letter from the employer on headed paper confirming the job, the pay and the start date. |
| Salaried employment for less than six months, or pay that varies | A longer period of evidence, up to twelve months, together with the employment contract and an employer’s letter. |
| Self-employment or a company you own | Tax returns, accounts and tax calculations for the last financial year or years, with evidence that the business is trading and the money has been received. |
| Pensions | Letters or statements from the pension provider, and bank statements showing payment. |
| Property income and investments | Tenancy agreements or title deeds, and statements showing the money has been paid. |
| Cash savings | Statements showing the savings have been held for at least six months, in the name of you, your partner, or both. |
The detail, including which tax year, what the bank statements must show and how a pay rise during the period is treated, is where applications fail. We identify the category, list the exact documents, and check them against each other before anything is sent.
Using savings instead of income
Cash savings above £16,000 can make up a shortfall in income. You need £16,000 plus 2.5 times the shortfall:
| Income | Shortfall | Savings needed |
|---|---|---|
| £29,000 or more | None | None |
| £25,000 | £4,000 | £26,000 |
| £20,000 | £9,000 | £38,500 |
| £15,000 | £14,000 | £51,000 |
| None | £29,000 | £88,500 |
The savings must be cash or its close equivalent, must have been held for at least six months in an account in your name, your partner’s, or both, and must be shown with statements. They cannot be borrowed, and money that has just arrived in the account is looked at closely. If funds came as a gift, a deed or letter from the donor may be needed.
Exceptions to the income requirement
- Disability and carer’s benefits. If your partner receives certain benefits, such as Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance or Carer’s Allowance, you do not need to meet the income level, but you must show that you can be maintained and accommodated without public funds.
- Extensions under the earlier rules. Couples whose first partner application was made before 11 April 2024 and who extend with the same partner are assessed against £18,600, with additional amounts of £3,800 for the first child and £2,400 for each further child, up to the £29,000 ceiling.
- Exceptional circumstances. Refusing the application may be a disproportionate interference with family life, for example where a British child would suffer. See human rights and private life applications.
The Supreme Court held in MM (Lebanon) [2017] UKSC 10 that a minimum income requirement is lawful, but that decision-makers must consider whether refusal would have unjustifiably harsh consequences. Applications granted on that basis usually lead to settlement after ten years.
Common mistakes
- Counting net pay, or an average that includes a bonus that was not guaranteed.
- Payslips that do not match the bank statements, or a missing month.
- An employer’s letter that omits the start date or the type of contract.
- Savings moved into an account only recently.
- Using a third party’s money that the rules do not allow.
- Assuming the £18,600 figure applies when it does not.
If you cannot meet the requirement yet
Sometimes the sensible course is to wait, to build up the six months’ evidence or the savings, or to change the order of the steps. A short consultation can show how far you are from the requirement and the fastest route to meeting it. See our insight The £29,000 question: proving income for a partner visa and our guide to appealing a refusal.
How we help
We assess your income against the requirement, choose the category, list the documents, and prepare the evidence. A consultation costs from £99.
