Can You Get a Mortgage With a New Job or on Probation?

Last updated: 23 July 2026

You’ve accepted a better job. Higher salary, maybe a relocation. And now you want to buy. The question everyone asks at this point is whether a lender will even look at you when you’ve been in the role for three weeks, or haven’t started yet, or you’re still technically on probation.

Short answer: yes, plenty of lenders will. Halifax, Nationwide, HSBC, TSB, Barclays, and Virgin Money all accept mortgage applications from people in new jobs, including some who haven’t received a single payslip yet. But others, like Together, Pepper Money, and Precise Mortgages, will decline the application outright if you’re on probation. That’s why knowing which lender to approach matters more here than in almost any other type of mortgage application. One wrong application means a hard credit search on your file and nothing to show for it.

This guide covers five specific scenarios: applying on day one, applying while on probation, using a job offer letter before you’ve even started, changing jobs mid-application, and applying with no payslips. Each one has different lender rules, and we’ve mapped them out so you know exactly where you stand before you pick up the phone.

Can I Get a Mortgage on Day One of a New Job?

Yes. Several UK lenders will assess your mortgage application based on a signed permanent employment contract alone, even if you haven’t received your first payslip. Halifax will lend against a permanent contract from day one and offers up to 5x income for qualifying applicants. Nationwide also accepts applications from day one with a permanent contract, though they tend to be more conservative on the loan amount. TSB takes a notably relaxed approach and may even factor in future salary increases if they’re written into your contract.

The key word in every case is “permanent”. If your contract says you’re employed on a permanent basis with an initial probationary period, that’s fine for most of these lenders. If your contract is purely probationary, meaning the employer decides at the end whether to keep you, the pool of available lenders shrinks considerably. That distinction trips up more applicants than any other single factor.

If you’re a self-employed worker leaving a PAYE role, the situation is different again. Most lenders want at least one year of self-employed accounts before they’ll consider your application, and some want two. The transition from employment to self-employment mid-application is one of the hardest scenarios to underwrite.

Can I Get a Mortgage While Still on Probation?

Yes, but not with every lender. Halifax accepts probation period applicants, but only where the probation is part of a permanent contract. If your employer has the option to terminate the contract at the end of probation without offering permanent employment, Halifax will not use that income in their affordability assessment. That’s straight from their intermediary criteria page. Nationwide will also consider probation applicants but may only count basic income, excluding bonuses and overtime until you’ve passed.

TSB is one of the most flexible on probation. They want evidence of the new role, but their policy is notably relaxed compared to the high street average. HSBC will consider applicants who can provide a permanent contract of employment. Barclays and Virgin Money both generally ignore probation periods altogether if the underlying contract is permanent.

On the other side, Together, Pepper Money, and Precise Mortgages will issue an instant decline if you’re on probation. Aldermore will consider probation in most sectors but excludes entertainment, leisure, travel, and hospitality. Vernon Building Society won’t complete until the probation period is finished unless you have a track record in the same industry.

One specialist worth knowing about: Teachers Building Society actively welcomes teachers, lecturers, and education professionals on probation. If you’ve just started a teaching role, they’re one of the most accommodating options available.

Can I Use a Job Offer Letter Instead of Payslips?

Yes. A handful of UK lenders will assess your mortgage based on a signed job offer letter and employment contract, even before your start date. The standard requirement is that your start date falls within the next three months. Halifax, Nationwide, and TSB all accept this approach for permanent positions.

The documentation needs to be specific. Lenders want to see the employer’s name, your job title, your confirmed annual salary, the start date, and a signature from the employer or HR department. An unsigned offer, a verbal confirmation, or a LinkedIn message from a recruiter won’t cut it. If you’ve been offered the role but the formal paperwork hasn’t arrived yet, wait for the signed contract before triggering a mortgage application.

This scenario actually works in your favour if the new salary is higher than your current one. Halifax, for example, will use the confirmed new salary for affordability rather than your current lower pay. If you’re moving from a £35,000 role to a £48,000 role, that £13,000 increase directly boosts what you can borrow. A whole-of-market mortgage broker will know which lenders let you use the new figure immediately versus those who want to see three months of payslips at the new rate first.

Which UK Lenders Accept New Job Mortgage Applicants?

Lender criteria on new employment vary more than most people expect. The table below summarises the current position for the most commonly used lenders. Criteria change regularly, so always confirm with a broker before applying.

Lender	Day 1?	On probation?	Offer letter only?	Key detail
Halifax	Yes	Yes (permanent contract only)	Yes, start within 3 months	Up to 5x income. Won’t use income if employer can terminate at will
Nationwide	Yes	Yes, but basic income only	Yes, start within 3 months	Conservative on loan amount vs Halifax
TSB	Yes	Yes, relaxed policy	Yes	May consider future salary increases if written into contract
HSBC	Yes	Yes, with permanent contract	Yes	May need evidence of same-industry experience
Barclays	Yes	Yes, generally ignores probation	Case by case	Needs signed contract
Virgin Money	Yes	Yes, generally ignores probation	Check	Flexible mainstream option
Santander	Needs 6 months history	Difficult	No	6 months can be across different employers
Teachers BS	Yes	Yes, actively welcomes education staff	Yes	Specialist for teachers, lecturers, NQTs
Aldermore	Case by case	Yes, but excludes hospitality/leisure/travel	Case by case	Industry-specific restrictions apply
Together	No	No, instant decline	No	Strict on employment stability
Pepper Money	No	No, instant decline	No	Adverse credit specialist but strict on job stability

Criteria change regularly. Always confirm current lender policy with your broker before applying.

What If I Change Jobs During a Mortgage Application?

If you change jobs after your mortgage application has been submitted but before completion, you must tell your lender. This isn’t optional. The lender will re-assess your affordability based on the new role, and if the new salary is lower or the job type is less stable, they may reduce your borrowing or withdraw the offer entirely.

The good news: if you’re moving to a higher salary in the same industry, most lenders will update the application without starting over. You’ll need to provide the new contract, and the underwriter will re-run the affordability assessment. The bad news: if the job change takes you from permanent employment to a fixed-term contract, or from PAYE to self-employed, the original lender may no longer be the right fit. In that situation, a broker can quickly identify whether to stay with the current lender or switch to one whose criteria match your new circumstances.

One thing to avoid absolutely: do not resign from your current job between mortgage offer and completion without telling your solicitor and your broker. If the lender discovers the change at the last minute (and they often do, because many re-verify employment days before completion), the entire purchase can collapse.

Can I Get a Mortgage With No Payslips Yet?

Yes. If you’ve signed a permanent contract but haven’t been paid yet, several lenders will assess you on the contract alone. Halifax, Nationwide, and TSB all accept applications without payslips if you can provide a signed employment contract confirming your salary and start date.

To strengthen the application when payslips aren’t available, provide your P60 from your previous employer, your last three months of bank statements showing your previous salary credits, and a reference from your new employer confirming your role and salary. This package gives the underwriter enough to work with. Some lenders will also accept an employer reference letter as supplementary evidence.

If you can wait one month for your first payslip, do. It opens up more lenders and often unlocks better rates. But if timing is tight, perhaps you’ve found a property and don’t want to lose it, applying without payslips is a realistic option with the right lender.

How Long Do You Need to Be in a Job to Get a Mortgage?

There is no legal minimum. The belief that you need three months or six months in a job before applying is a myth, though it’s easy to see where it comes from, because some individual lenders do set their own minimums. Santander, for example, wants six months of employment history (which can be across different employers). But Halifax and TSB will lend from day one with a permanent contract.

The real question is which lenders are available to you at each stage. On day one with just a contract, you might have access to 15 to 20 lenders. After one payslip (roughly four weeks), that number grows to 25 to 30. After three months with three payslips, you’re looking at the full market of 90+ lenders. The longer you’ve been in the role, the more choice you have and the better rates you’ll typically access. But “more choice” isn’t the same as “no choice”. Plenty of people complete mortgages within weeks of starting a new job.

How to Strengthen a New Job Mortgage Application

If your employment history is the weak point, strengthen everything else. Lenders assess the full picture, not just your job status in isolation.

Save a bigger deposit. A 15% deposit instead of 5% drops your LTV from 95% to 85%, which opens more lenders and better rates. When employment stability is borderline, a lower LTV can tip the decision from decline to approve. Use our mortgage calculators to see how deposit size affects your monthly payments.

Stay in the same industry. A nurse moving from one NHS trust to another is a very different risk profile from someone leaving accounting to become a personal trainer. Lenders look at continuity of career, not just continuity of employment. Same industry, higher salary is the easiest new-job scenario to underwrite.

Clean up your credit file before applying. Pay down credit card balances, clear any small defaults if you can, and make sure you’re on the electoral roll at your current address. A strong credit score compensates for shorter employment tenure.

Get your documents ready before you apply. Signed contract, previous P60, last three months of bank statements from your old role, ID, and proof of address. If family are helping with the deposit, have your gifted deposit letter and the giver’s bank statements ready too. Missing paperwork causes more delays than the new job itself.

Use a broker, not a branch. This is the one scenario where going direct to a single bank is genuinely risky. Apply to the wrong lender, get declined, and you’ve got a hard credit search on your file that the next lender will see. A whole-of-market broker checks criteria before submitting, so your first application is targeted, not speculative.

How UK Mortgage Finder Can Help

New job mortgage applications fail for one reason more than any other: applying to the wrong lender. A broker who doesn’t check probation criteria sends your application to Together. Declined. Hard search on your file. Now the next lender sees that decline and asks questions.

UK Mortgage Finder connects you with FCA-regulated whole-of-market brokers who handle new employment cases regularly. They’ll check which lenders match your exact scenario, whether that’s day one with a contract, probation period, offer letter only, or a mid-application job change, and submit one targeted application to the lender most likely to say yes. The service is free and there’s no obligation to proceed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a mortgage if I’ve just started a new job?
Yes. Halifax, Nationwide, TSB, HSBC, Barclays, and Virgin Money all accept applications from people who have just started a new permanent role. Some will lend from day one with a signed contract. Others want to see one payslip first. A broker can tell you which lenders fit your exact situation before you apply.

How long do you need to be in a job to get a mortgage UK?
There is no legal minimum. Some lenders like Halifax and TSB accept day-one applications with a permanent contract. Santander wants six months of employment history. The longer you’ve been in the role, the more lenders and better rates become available, but you don’t need to wait months to apply.

Can I get a mortgage on a probationary contract?
It depends on the contract wording. If probation is part of a permanent contract, Halifax, Nationwide, HSBC, TSB, Barclays, and Virgin Money will all consider your application. If the contract is purely probationary with no guarantee of permanent employment, most lenders will decline. Together and Pepper Money decline all probation applicants regardless.

Do mortgage lenders check your employment?
Yes. Lenders verify employment at application stage and many re-verify just before completion. They typically contact your employer directly or review your payslips and bank statements. If your employment status changes between offer and completion, you must notify the lender.

Can I use a job offer letter for a mortgage?
Yes. Halifax, Nationwide, and TSB accept signed job offer letters for positions starting within the next three months. The letter must confirm your job title, salary, start date, and be signed by the employer or HR department. An unsigned or informal offer won’t be accepted.

What happens if I change jobs after mortgage approval?
You must tell your lender. They will re-assess your affordability based on the new role. If the new salary is equal or higher in the same industry, the application usually continues with updated paperwork. If the change reduces your income or moves you from permanent to contract, the lender may reduce your borrowing or withdraw the offer.

Do I need 3 months’ payslips for a mortgage?
Not always. Some lenders accept a signed employment contract alone with zero payslips. Others want one payslip, and some want three. The “three months” rule is a common assumption, not a universal requirement. The right lender depends on how much employment evidence you currently have.

Can I get a mortgage on my first day at a new job?
Yes. Halifax, TSB, Nationwide, and HSBC will all consider applications from day one with a permanent contract. You don’t need to have received a payslip yet. Your signed contract serves as proof of income for the affordability assessment.

Will changing jobs affect my mortgage application?
It can, but it doesn’t have to be negative. Moving to a higher salary in the same industry is generally straightforward. The risk comes from changing job type (PAYE to self-employed), taking a pay cut, or moving to a less stable contract type. Always speak to your broker before making a job change mid-application.

Can I get a mortgage on a fixed-term contract?
It’s harder but not impossible. Some lenders accept fixed-term contracts if you have at least six months remaining and can show a history of contract renewals in your industry. NHS workers, trainee solicitors, and teachers on fixed-term contracts are common cases that specialist lenders and building societies handle regularly. If you’re self-employed or contracting, different rules apply entirely.

Important: The information in this article is for guidance purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Lender criteria change regularly and individual eligibility depends on your full circumstances. A mortgage is a loan secured against your home. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. You should seek independent advice from an FCA-regulated mortgage adviser before making any financial decisions. UK Mortgage Finder introduces customers to FCA-regulated mortgage brokers and advisers.