Updated 01 June 2026
The financial requirement on a UK Spouse Visa is a gross annual income of £29,000, known as the minimum income requirement, set out in Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules. It can be met by the sponsor alone, by the sponsor and the applicant jointly where the applicant is in the UK with permission to work, or by combining income from more than one permitted source under Appendix FM-SE. Income presented outside the format prescribed by Appendix FM-SE does not count, and applications relying on sources combined incorrectly may be refused. This post provides an overview of which income sources can be combined to meet the financial requirement for a UK Spouse Visa.
Key overviews
- The financial requirement on a UK Spouse Visa is £29,000 a year. It may be met by combining income from up to six Appendix FM-SE categories, labelled A, B, C, D, E, F and G.
- Categories A and B are not compatible with each other. Where both partners rely on combined employment income, both must use the same category.
- Cash savings (Category D) cannot be combined with self-employment or director income. Cash savings also cannot be combined with Part 2 of Category B.
- Pension income (Category E) is the most flexible category. It pairs with every other category and is often used as a top-up for sponsors approaching retirement.
- Applicants granted permission before 11 April 2024 may continue on the £18,600 framework. This applies at extension under FLR(M) and at ILR, under the transitional provisions in Appendix FM.
How does the £29,000 minimum income requirement work for a UK Spouse Visa?
The minimum income requirement on a UK Spouse Visa is £29,000 a year. It applies to most applications made on or after 11 April 2024. Applicants granted permission as a partner or fiancé(e) before that date may continue on the previous £18,600 figure at extension and settlement, subject to transitional provisions.
The threshold is set in Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules. The phased rises to £34,500 and £38,700 were paused in September 2024 pending a Migration Advisory Committee review, and the £29,000 figure remains the operative threshold as of June 2026.
The requirement may be met through six income categories under Appendix FM-SE, labelled A, B, C, D, E, F and G. Some may be combined to reach the £29,000 figure; others may not. The combinations are set out in Appendix FM-SE and distinguish current income, past income, and savings. For the £29,000 figure itself, our UK Spouse Visa financial requirement guide covers the rule in full.
Category A: Employment held for six months or more
Category A applies where the sponsor or applicant has been in the same job for at least six months and earns a fixed annual salary. The applicant counts toward Category A only where they are in the UK with permission to work and the work is permitted by the conditions of their current immigration permission.
Income under Category A may be combined with non-employment income (Category C), cash savings (Category D), and pension income (Category E). Two or more concurrent jobs may be combined within Category A, provided each role has been held for six months or more. Our employment income for a UK Spouse Visa guide covers the evidence requirements in full.
Category A and Category B are not compatible. Where both the sponsor and the applicant rely on combined employment income, both must qualify under either Category A or Category B, not one of each.
Category B: Employment held for less than six months or with variable income
Category B applies where the sponsor or applicant has been with the current employer for less than six months, or where the income is variable. Category B is met in two parts, and both parts must be satisfied.
Part 1 requires that current gross income meets the £29,000 figure annualised at the date of application. Part 2 requires that total gross income received in the 12 months before the application also meets the figure. Part 1 may be combined with Category C, D, or E. Part 2 may be combined with Category C or E only, never with Category D cash savings. Applications that satisfy Part 1 but fall short on Part 2 may be refused.
To discuss combining variable or new-employment income for a UK Spouse Visa application with an experienced immigration adviser, contact our team on 0208 757 5751 or use our contact form to get in touch.
Category C: Non-employment income
Category C is income that does not come from employment or self-employment. Typical sources are rental income, dividends from shares held outside the sponsor’s own limited company, and interest from savings.
The income must be under the direct control of the applicant or the sponsor and must be evidenced with the documents specified at Appendix FM-SE. Our non-employment income guide sets out the documents required for each source.
Category C may be combined with Category A, Category B (both parts), Category D, Category E, and Categories F or G, subject to the financial-year timing rules that apply to self-employment.
Category D: Cash savings
Cash savings may be used in place of or alongside qualifying income on a UK Spouse Visa. Only savings above £16,000 count toward the financial requirement, and the funds must have been held in an accessible account in the name of the applicant, the sponsor, or both for at least six consecutive months.
Savings are converted to an income equivalent using the formula £16,000 + (2.5 × annual income shortfall). With zero qualifying income, the savings figure needed to meet the full £29,000 requirement on savings alone is £88,500. The full calculation is shown in the formula box below.
General form: £16,000 + (2.5 × annual income shortfall)
With zero qualifying income: £16,000 + (2.5 × £29,000) = £88,500
Result: minimum cash savings required to meet the financial requirement on savings alone is £88,500.
Category D may be combined with Category A, Part 1 of Category B, Category C, and Category E. It may not be combined with Part 2 of Category B, or with Categories F or G, because the Home Office UKVI does not allow current savings to be blended with past income or financial-year income figures. Our cash savings guide covers the £88,500 calculation and qualifying-period rules in full.
Foreign cash savings held in a non-UK account may also be relied upon, subject to the additional evidence required at Appendix FM-SE. The foreign cash savings guide covers the additional requirements.
If you intend to rely on cash savings combined with income to meet the £29,000 figure, our immigration team can review the qualifying period, source, and evidence pack before submission. Call us on 0208 757 5751 or send your details through the contact form.
Category E: Pension income
Pension income from a UK or overseas state, occupational, or private pension counts toward the financial requirement. The pension must have been in payment for at least 28 days before the date of application.
Category E may be combined with Category A, both parts of Category B, Category C, Category D, and Categories F or G, subject to the financial-year alignment rules that apply to self-employment income. Our pension income guide covers the evidence required for UK and overseas pensions.
Categories F and G: Self-employment and director income from a specified limited company
Categories F and G apply to income from self-employment, partnership, or directorship of a specified limited company. Category F counts gross income from the most recent full financial year; Category G averages income across the two most recent financial years.
The categories are set out at Appendix FM-SE. They cover sole traders, partners in a business, and directors or employees of a specified limited company under sub-paragraph (b), which is a company where the sponsor or applicant has a controlling interest.
Category F or G may be combined with Category A or B (employment), Category C (non-employment), and Category E (pension). The combined sources must fall within the same financial year, or the relevant 12-month period for employment, and must be ongoing at the date of application. Category D cash savings may not be combined with Category F or G. Our self-employment and director income guide covers the evidence required for sole traders, partnerships, and limited company directors.
How Whytecroft Ford Can Help
Combining income to meet the £29,000 figure on a UK Spouse Visa is procedural rather than discretionary, but it depends on getting the category logic right at the date of application and evidencing every source in the form set by Appendix FM-SE. Couples often discover at the evidence stage that one source cannot be combined as expected, or that a qualifying period does not align with the application date. Applications submitted with a non-compliant combination may be refused even where the underlying income comfortably exceeds £29,000.
Whytecroft Ford advises applicants and sponsors on UK Spouse Visa, FLR(M) extension, and ILR (family) applications under Appendix FM. Our immigration team reviews the proposed combination of income sources against the rules in force at the date of application, identifies the evidence required under Appendix FM-SE, and confirms whether the qualifying period and category compatibility hold.
If you are preparing a Spouse Visa application and need certainty on whether your income combination meets the financial requirement, or you are extending or applying for ILR (family) and want the evidence reviewed before submission, call our team on 0208 757 5751 or send your details through the contact form.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, where the applicant is in the UK with permission to work and the work is permitted by the conditions of their current immigration permission. The applicant’s overseas income cannot be counted for entry clearance applications, only the sponsor’s. Once the applicant is in the UK on a route allowing work, their UK earnings may be added to the sponsor’s at extension and ILR.
No. Category D cash savings cannot be combined with Category F or G self-employment or director income. The Home Office position is that current savings cannot be added to financial-year self-employment figures because the two cover different periods.
£88,500. The formula is £16,000 + (2.5 × £29,000), which gives the minimum cash savings figure required to meet the full £29,000 requirement on savings alone. The funds must have been held in an accessible account for at least six consecutive months in the name of the applicant, the sponsor, or both.
No, in most cases. Applicants granted permission as a partner or fiancé(e) before 11 April 2024 may continue to be assessed on the previous £18,600 framework at extension under FLR(M) and at ILR, under the transitional provisions in Appendix FM.
The material in this article is provided for guidance and general information only and is not intended to constitute legal or other professional advice on your circumstances upon which you should rely. In particular, the information should not be used as a substitute for a full and proper consultation with a suitably qualified professional. UK Immigration Rules are subject to change. Please do contact the Whytecroft Ford team if you require further advice.
