Documents you need to apply for a mortgage

Essential documents for mortgage applications

When applying for a mortgage, lenders may request specific documents to check your eligibility for a large, long-term loan. These tell the lender exactly how much you earn, how much you currently spend, and your risk level as a borrower.

The documents you must provide include:

• Photo ID, such as a passport or driving licence

• Proof of address, such as utility bills or council tax bills

• A P60 form from your employer

• Payslips from the last three months

• An SA302 form or an accountant’s certificate if you’re self-employed

• Bank statements from the last 3-6 months

• A signed letter from the donor if you’re being gifted funds

• Proof of benefits

You may need to provide further documents to prove your outgoings, income and other financial information, but this depends on the lender. They will outline their requirements early in the application process.

Learn more about the essential documents for a house purchase in our comprehensive guide.

Documents for a mortgage when self-employed

If you’re self-employed, you may need to provide extra evidence of a reliable and stable income. You won’t need to pay higher mortgage rates just because you’re self-employed, and you are likely able to qualify for the same mortgages as anyone else.

As well as the core documentation we listed above, the documents required for a mortgage application may include:

• SA302 Tax Returns or HMRC Tax Calculations

• Accounts for 2–3 years, ideally from your accountant

• Business bank statements and any other income evidence you can provide

Why do mortgage lenders ask for so many documents?

The documents needed for a mortgage may seem extensive, but banks must be careful about who they lend to when lending large sums of money.

Lenders will examine your income, expenses such as bills, insurance, and childcare costs, and other financial details. Because mortgages often span 25 years or more, banks must also account for factors such as fluctuating interest rates, employment changes, and retirement.

Risk assessment and underwriting

Lenders need to assess the level of risk they’re taking on when lending you money. This risk assessment is known as underwriting, and it is the process lenders use to ensure you can make on-time repayments on the money you borrow.

By reviewing an extensive list of documents, they can build a picture of your financial situation and assess whether you’re low- or high-risk. The lower your risk, the more likely you are to receive favourable mortgage rates.

Verifying income and deposit source

Whether you’re in full-time permanent employment or self-employed, lenders will need to verify your income. By reviewing bank statements and tax returns, lenders can confirm that your monthly income is enough to cover repayments.

They also need to ensure your deposit is from a verified source, such as personal savings or inheritance. Lenders can use a paper trail of documents to track how you got your deposit, ensuring everything is above board.

Anti Money Laundering (AML) and identity checks

Another step in verifying your identity and financial situation is through Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and identity checks. Lenders, by law, must conduct these checks and assess the documentation you have provided. This ensures you are who you say you are before lenders proceed with the loan.

Tips for gathering and submitting your mortgage application documents

To ensure the mortgage application process runs smoothly, here’s our advice for collating the required documents.

Start early to avoid delays

Get organised to avoid delays as much as possible during your mortgage application. Whether that involves drawing up a list of what you need or being proactive and gathering the documents in advance, small actions can help speed up the mortgage process.

Create a checklist

Make a list of the documents you need to provide for your mortgage application. You can then tick them off as you collect them, keeping you on top of what you have and what you don’t.

Be honest and accurate

Be completely honest when preparing your application. If you fail to mention any credit cards or personal loans, this can slow down the process while the mortgage lender searches through your credit history.

Collect the required documents

As physical paperwork increases processing times, most lenders prefer digital copies of documents. To help speed up your mortgage application process, collect digital copies of your documents for easier submission. However, there may be certain instances where a physical copy is required, and this will depend on your mortgage provider.

Make sure you have all the necessary documents, including:

• Latest payslip (online in original file format, but not a screenshot)

• Self-employed people must provide the last 2 years of HMRC tax calculations (from your online account)

• Declaration of any additional income, such as child benefit, child maintenance, working and child tax credits, and disability living allowance (physical copies)

• Up to 6 months of bank statements (paper or online)

• Evidence of deposit (paper version)

Provide as much information as possible

Provide multiple email addresses and phone numbers so the bank can easily contact you, your solicitor and your estate agent at any point during the application process. If in doubt, it’s better to provide too much information rather than too little. Ask the lender questions, especially if you’re unsure about what documents are needed.

Make sure all copies are certified

A simple print-out of documents won’t usually stand up to scrutiny when applying for a mortgage. To help ensure your mortgage lender accepts your documents, try to get the originals certified (signed and dated) by a professional, such as your solicitor, accountant or doctor.

For more information on how to do this, see the GOV.UK advice on certifying a document.

Submitting documents all at once

Depending on your lender, you may be able to submit your documents in different ways. They may be requested through an online portal or via email. If using physical copies, you may need to visit your local branch or post them, but this will generally take longer than submitting them digitally.

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