95 Mortgage Approved During Maternity Leave With Visa Considerations

The Clients

The clients were purchasing a residential property as their main home and required a mortgage at 95% loan-to-value.

One applicant held Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK, while the other was residing in the UK on a spousal visa. At the time of application, one of the applicants was also on maternity leave and receiving maternity pay rather than full salary.

The Challenge

This application involved several overlapping policy restrictions.

Firstly, the borrowing was at 95% loan-to-value, which already significantly limits lender choice.

Secondly, visa status added further complications. Many lenders either:

• restrict maximum LTV for applicants on visas, or

• require both applicants to hold permanent residency.

Finally, one applicant was on maternity leave. Although they were contracted to return to work, a number of lenders would only assess the reduced maternity income at the time of application. At 95% LTV this frequently causes affordability shortfalls or automatic declines.

Individually, each factor can often be managed. However, the combination of high LTV, visa status and temporary maternity income meant many lenders’ automated systems declined the case before it could be properly assessed.

The Solution

We sourced a lender willing to manually underwrite the application and consider the applicants’ ongoing financial position.

We provided:

• employer confirmation of return-to-work date and salary

• evidence of job security and employment continuity

• visa documentation confirming right to reside

• a full affordability assessment based on post-maternity income

By evidencing the applicant’s return to full earnings, the lender was able to assess affordability on sustainable household income rather than temporary maternity pay.

The Outcome

The mortgage was successfully approved, allowing the clients to proceed with their purchase rather than postponing their plans.

Purchase Price: £270,000

Loan Amount: £256,500

Rate: 4.71% fixed

Term: 40 years

Initial Monthly Payment: £1,200

Without specialist placement, the clients would likely have needed to wait until the applicant returned to full employment or provide a significantly larger deposit.

This case highlights how temporary changes in income, particularly maternity leave, combined with visa status can cause automated declines even where long-term affordability is clear. With careful packaging and lender selection, applications can still be approved based on the household’s true financial position.