To meet the financial requirement for a UK Spouse Visa under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules, applicants must demonstrate a minimum gross annual income. For applications made on or after 11 April 2024, the threshold is £29,000. For applications submitted before this date, the previous threshold of £18,600 per annum may apply.
The financial requirement may be met through the sponsor’s income alone or jointly with the applicant’s income, where the applicant is in the UK with permission to work. Certain categories of income may be combined, provided each source is permitted under the Immigration Rules.
This post explains which types of income can be combined to meet the financial requirements under the Spouse Visa route.
Category A: Employment Held for 6 Months or More
Category A applies where the sponsor or applicant (if in the UK with permission to work) has been in the same job for at least six months. Income under Category A may be combined with the following:
- Category C (non-employment income)
- Category D (cash savings)
- Category E (pension income)
Two or more jobs held concurrently may also be combined within Category A, provided all roles have been held for six months or more.
Category B: Employment Held for Less Than 6 Months or Variable Income
Category B applies where the sponsor or applicant has been with an employer for less than six months or receives variable income. It has two parts:
- Part 1 – Current Gross Income at Date of Application. May be combined with:
- Category C (non-employment income)
- Category D (cash savings)
- Category E (pension income)
- Part 2 – Total Gross Income Over the Past 12 Months. May be combined only with:
- Category C (non-employment income)
- Category E (pension income)
Applicants using Category B must show both that their current gross income meets the threshold (Part 1) and that their actual gross income over the past 12 months also satisfies the requirement (Part 2), unless combining with allowable categories as above.
Category D (cash savings) cannot be used in the second part of Category B income.
This category is not compatible with Category A. A couple relying on combined employment income must apply under either Category A or B for both individuals – the two categories cannot be mixed.
Category C: Non-Employment Income
This includes rental income, dividends, interest from investments, and other sources not derived from employment or self-employment. Category C income must be under the direct control of the applicant or sponsor and be evidenced through documents such as tenancy agreements and bank statements for property rental income.
Category C income can be combined with:
- Category A (employment)
- Category B (employment)
- Category D (cash savings)
- Category E (pension income)
- Category F/G (self-employment), subject to timing rules
Category D: Cash Savings
Savings above £16,000 held in accessible accounts for at least six consecutive months can be used to meet or contribute to the financial requirement. Only the amount exceeding £16,000 is considered, and it is converted into an income equivalent by dividing the excess by 2.5.
Category D may be combined with:
- Category A (employment)
- Part 1 of Category B (current gross income)
- Category C (non-employment income)
- Category E (pension income)
Category D cannot be combined with:
- Category F or G (self-employment income or income from a specified limited company)
- Part 2 of Category B (past 12 months’ gross income)
This is because current savings cannot be accurately reconciled with past income figures under the Home Office’s evidential model.
Foreign cash savings held in a non-UK account may also be acceptable for a UK Spouse Visa application, provided the requirements are satisfied.
Category E: Pension Income
This includes income from UK or overseas state, occupational, or private pensions. The pension must have been in payment for at least 28 days before the application date.
Category E income may be combined with:
- Category A (employment)
- Category B (both parts)
- Category C (non-employment income)
- Category D (cash savings)
- Category F or G (self-employment), subject to time period alignment
Category F and G: Self-Employment or Director of a Specified Limited Company
Category F considers gross income from the most recent full financial year; Category G averages income across the two most recent financial years. These apply to sole traders, business partners, or directors/employees of specified limited companies under paragraph 9(a) of Appendix FM-SE.
Income under Category F or G may be combined with:
- Category A or B (employment)
- Category C (non-employment income)
- Category E (pension income)
However, these sources must all fall within the same financial year(s) and must still be ongoing at the time of application. Category D (cash savings) cannot be combined with Category F or G, as this would involve blending past income with current financial resources, which the Home Office does not allow.
Each source of income or savings relied upon in a UK Spouse Visa application must be evidenced as per the requirements set out in the Immigration Rules. The Home Office UKVI imposes strict standards regarding the type, format, and timeframes of supporting documentation, and these vary depending on the income category being used.
Common errors when meeting the financial requirement for a UK Spouse Visa often arise from a failure to provide the specified evidence in the correct format. This may include missing documents, inconsistencies between the information provided, or non-compliance with the evidential requirements set out under Appendix FM-SE. Such mistakes typically result in the application being delayed or refused without further consideration by the Home Office.
Example of Combining Income Successfully
- Ella earns £18,000 annually from part-time work. Her spouse, John, earns £11,500 and is also in the UK with valid permission to work. Both have held their respective jobs for over six months. Their combined Category A income (£29,500) exceeds the financial requirement.
- Alex is a UK-based sponsor earning £24,000 from salaried employment he has held for more than six months. In addition, he receives £6,000 annually in rental income from a property he owns. As both income sources are permitted and fall under Category A (employment) and Category C (non-employment income) respectively, they can be combined.
- Carla earns £20,000 per year from her part-time job in the UK, held continuously for over six months. She also holds £33,000 in a personal savings account, maintained above this level for the past six months, which equates to £6,800 annual income. When added to her employment income, her total financial contribution is £26,800. Her spouse Hugo, already in the UK and working, contributes £4,400 through stable part-time employment. Since both incomes fall under Category A, and savings meet the requirements under Category D, the couple meets the financial requirement.
How Whytecroft Ford Can Help
Whytecroft Ford offers tailored legal support on UK Spouse Visa applications under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules, including advice on meeting the financial requirement where income sources are combined.
For further assistance, you may contact us on 0208 757 5751 or submit an enquiry via our contact form.
