Last reviewed: 20 May 2026
UK Spouse Visa applicants can meet the financial requirement with variable income or income from a new job through Category B under Appendix FM-SE of the Immigration Rules. It uses a two-part test: the current rate of pay must meet the threshold, and the income actually received over the previous 12 months must also meet it. Both parts must be satisfied for the requirement to be met. This guide explains when Category B applies, how the two-part test works, and the evidential requirement.
What is Category B income for a UK Partner Visa?
Category B is the category for employment income where the person has been with their current employer for less than six months, or where the income varies. It is set out in Appendix FM-SE of the Immigration Rules and applies where the specific aspects that Category A assumes are not present, for example after a recent job change, with non-salaried or irregular earnings, or with income from more than one employer.
The minimum income requirement threshold is £29,000 gross per year for new applicants. The previous threshold of £18,600 plus child additions applies to those who are already on the spouse visa route before 11 April 2024.
When does Category B apply instead of Category A?
Category B applies whenever the six-month, same-employer condition for Category A is not met, or the income is variable. The most common situations are a sponsor who has recently started a new job, a sponsor whose hours and pay vary month to month, a sponsor with income from two or more employers, and a sponsor returning to employment after a gap. Where the sponsor has been with the same employer for six months or more on a stable salary, Category A is the simpler route and applies instead.
How does the Category B two-part test work?
Category B requires two separate conditions to be met, and both must be satisfied independently. The first part looks at the current rate of pay: the annualised gross income from current employment must meet the minimum income requirement. The second part looks backward: the actual gross income received from all employment in the 12 months before the application must also meet the requirement.
Worked example: sponsor in a new job
| Input | Figure |
| Current annual salary (new job started 2 months ago) | £32,000 |
| Part 1: current rate meets £29,000? | Yes |
| Actual employment income received in the previous 12 months | £30,500 |
| Part 2: 12-month income meets £29,000? | Yes |
Result: Category B is met. The current salary of £32,000 satisfies Part 1, and the £30,500 actually earned across the previous 12 months satisfies Part 2.
The two-part structure is what catches applicants out: a high current salary alone is not enough if the income actually received over the previous year falls short, and a strong 12-month history is not enough if the current rate is below the threshold. To check whether both limbs are met before you apply, contact our friendly team on 0208 757 5751 or use our contact form.
How is salaried and non-salaried income assessed under Category B?
The assessment differs slightly depending on whether the current employment is salaried or non-salaried. For salaried employment, the current gross annual salary is assessed at the date of application for the first part, alongside the actual income received over the 12 months for the second. For non-salaried employment, the income is based on the total gross income received over the 12 months before the application, reflecting the variable nature of the pay.
In both cases, the second part of the test rests on what was actually received and evidenced over the full 12 months, so a complete record of earnings across that period is essential.
What evidence is required for Category B?
Category B requires more evidence than Category A because it covers a 12-month period and, often, more than one employer. The specified evidence includes:
- Payslips covering the 12 months before the application, from each employer in that period
- Personal bank statements for the same 12 months, showing the income credited
- A letter from each current employer confirming the employment, the salary, and the type of employment
- Employment contracts for the relevant roles
- Tax documentation, such as a P60 certificate
Because the second part of the test depends on the full 12-month picture, gaps in payslips or unexplained differences between payslips and bank credits are the most common evidence problems under Category B.
Can Category B income be combined with other income?
Category B income can be combined with other permitted sources to meet the threshold. The current employment income can be combined with non-employment income, pension income, and cash savings, and the 12-month employment income can be combined with other income from the same period. Where savings are used, the holding rules and shortfall calculation in our guide to the UK Spouse Visa cash savings requirement apply.
A British sponsor returning to the UK to take up employment can use Category B by evidencing a confirmed UK job offer or contract starting within three months of return, together with qualifying income received in the previous 12 months. The full set of categories and how they fit together is covered in our guide to the UK Spouse Visa financial requirement.
Frequently asked questions
Category A applies where the sponsor has been with the same employer for at least six months on stable pay, and assesses the current annual salary. Category B applies where that is not the case, for example a recent job change or variable income, and uses a two-part test of both the current rate and the income actually received over the previous 12 months. Both parts of the Category B test must be met.
Yes. Category B is the route for a sponsor who has recently started a new job and so does not meet the six-month condition for Category A. The current salary must meet the threshold, and the income actually received over the previous 12 months, including from any earlier job, must also meet it. Both conditions are assessed.
No. The second part of the Category B test looks at the total employment income received across the 12 months, which can come from more than one employer. Payslips and bank statements from each employer in that period are required. The current employment is assessed separately for the first part of the test.
Category B is not met on employment income alone in that situation, because both parts of the test must be satisfied. The shortfall in the 12-month figure may be made up by combining other permitted income or cash savings for the relevant period. Where neither part can be met, a different category or a later application date may be the answer.
How Whytecroft Ford can help
Category B is where a recent job change or variable income turns a seemingly comfortable salary into a refusal, because applicants often focus on their current pay and overlook the second limb of the test. A sponsor who has just moved to a £35,000 role can still fall short if the income actually received over the previous year, across a gap or a lower-paid earlier job, does not reach the threshold.
Whytecroft Ford advises partner and spouse visa applicants relying on Category B, including how the two-part test applies to a specific work history, how to assemble 12 months of evidence across multiple employers, and how to combine income where one limb falls short. For an applicant under deadline pressure after a job change, the firm confirms both parts of the test are met before the application is made. To discuss a Category B application with an experienced immigration adviser, call 0208 757 5751 or use our contact form.
The simpler salaried route is covered in our guide to Appendix FM Category A, and the full route is on the UK Spouse Visa hub.
Written and reviewed by Whytecroft Ford’s immigration team, authorised and regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority, registration number F201900075. All guidance is researched against primary sources, including the Immigration Rules and Home Office guidance at GOV.UK. Reviewed every six months, or sooner following a relevant rule change. Last reviewed: 20 May 2026.
