Spouse Visa Financial Requirements UK 2026: Income, Savings and Evidence

What is the financial requirement for a UK spouse visa?

It is the rule that a couple applying for a UK spouse or partner visa must show enough income to support themselves without relying on public funds. For applications since 11 April 2024 the standard figure is a combined income of £29,000 a year. You can meet it with salary, self-employment, pensions, other income or cash savings, but only with the specified evidence.

The requirement applies at the first application and again at the extension. Caseworkers check two things: whether the amount is high enough, and whether each income source is proven in exactly the format Appendix FM-SE sets out. Many refusals happen on the second point, even where the couple earns enough.

How much income do you need for a spouse visa in 2026?

Most new applicants need £29,000 a year combined. If you first applied as a partner before 11 April 2024 and are extending with the same partner, the transitional rule applies instead: £18,600, plus £3,800 for the first child and £2,400 for each additional child who is not British, Irish or settled, capped at £29,000.

What income counts for the spouse visa financial requirement?

Your partner's income counts, and your own income counts only if you are already in the UK, aged 18 or over and working legally. Accepted sources are salaried employment, self-employment, non-employment income such as rental income or dividends, pensions, and cash savings. Each source has its own evidence category and time period in Appendix FM-SE.

Some categories can be combined, for example a salary plus savings. Maternity and sick leave are covered by specific provisions, so a period of statutory pay does not automatically break your evidence.

How much savings do you need for a spouse visa?

Savings can replace some or all of the income. You need £16,000 plus 2.5 times the shortfall between your income and the threshold, held in cash for the full 6 months before you apply. With no qualifying income, that is £16,000 + (2.5 × £29,000) = £88,500. With income of £24,000, the shortfall is £5,000, so you need £28,500.

Use the calculator below for your own figure. The savings must be in an account in your name, your partner's, or both, and you must include a declaration of where the money came from.

What evidence proves your income?

For salaried employment of 6 months or more you need payslips for the 6 months before the application, personal bank statements for the same period showing the salary paid in, and an employer letter confirming the job, gross annual salary, length of employment, pay period and type of employment. Bank statements must be on official stationery or confirmed by the bank.

• Payslips for the full evidence period, matching the bank deposits.
• Bank statements in the earner's name (or joint with their partner) showing the salary paid in.
• Employer letter with all four points Appendix FM-SE requires.
• P60 for the relevant period, which you may also submit.
• Self-employed: tax returns and accounts for the relevant financial year.
• Savings: 6 months of statements and a declaration of the source of the money.

The full list for every document group is in our UK spouse visa document checklist.

What is the financial requirement for a spouse visa extension?

At the extension you must meet the financial requirement again with fresh evidence. If you first applied as a partner before 11 April 2024 and are extending with the same partner, you can use the older £18,600 threshold plus any child amounts; otherwise the £29,000 rule applies. The same Appendix FM-SE evidence rules apply.

Common financial requirement mistakes

• Using the old £18,600 figure for a new application.
• Counting your own overseas income, which does not count while you are outside the UK.
• Savings that dipped below the required level during the 6 months.
• Payslips and bank deposits that do not match.
• An employer letter missing the pay period or type of employment.

Financial evidence is the most common area of refusal; see spouse visa refusal reasons for what to do if it goes wrong.

Is the spouse visa financial requirement before or after tax?

Before tax. The financial requirement uses gross figures: for employment income Appendix FM-SE refers to the gross annual salary, so a partner earning £29,000 a year before tax and National Insurance meets the threshold even though their take-home pay is lower. Self-employed income is assessed on gross taxable profit.

Spouse visa financial requirement with children

Under the £29,000 rule there is no extra amount for children. Under the transitional £18,600 rule, you add £3,800 for the first child and £2,400 for each additional child who is not British, Irish or settled, up to a maximum of £29,000. For example, a couple with two such children needs £18,600 + £3,800 + £2,400 = £24,800.

Worked examples

Spouse visa financial requirement if you are self-employed

Self-employed sponsors and company directors are assessed on gross taxable profit, using either the last full financial year or the average of the last two full financial years. The evidence centres on tax returns such as the SA302 tax calculation, supported by business records and bank statements, so the figures in your tax return are what count.

Because the evidence relies on completed financial years, a business that only started recently may not yet be able to meet the requirement through self-employment alone. Combining income with savings (Category D) is one way couples bridge that gap.