UK Spouse Visa Financial Requirement (£29,000) Guide 2026
2026 guide to the UK Spouse and Partner Visa financial requirement: £29,000 Minimum Income Requirement, £88,500 cash-savings calculation, Category A/B employment income, pension and self-employment income, benefit exceptions and transitional £18,600 rules.
1. Executive Summary & The £29,000 Threshold
For a first partner application on or after 11 April 2024, the financial requirement is generally a £29,000 Minimum Income Requirement (MIR). The permitted sources can include specified income of the UK partner and, where the rules allow, the applicant, as well as specified savings and other permitted income sources.
2. Financial Requirement & Cash Savings Matrix
The table below outlines calculation methods across income categories:
| Income Category | Income Source / Method | Formula / Minimum Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Category A (Salaried Employment) | Employed with same UK employer for 6+ months | Gross annual salary >= £29,000 |
| Category B (Less Than 6 Months / Variable Income) | Current employment below the Category A 6-month condition or variable/non-salaried circumstances | Must satisfy both the current annualised income test and the actual employment-income test for the preceding 12 months |
| Category D (Pure Cash Savings) | Cash held in bank account for 6+ months | (£29,000 x 2.5 yrs) + £16,000 = £88,500 |
| Category F/G (Self-Employed) | Sole trader or Director of specified Ltd company | Last full financial year net income >= £29,000 |
| Transitional £18,600 Protection | First successful partner application before 11 April 2024 and transitional rules continue | For limited-leave applications using savings alone: (£18,600 x 2.5) + £16,000 = £62,500; the ILR savings calculation is different |
3. Combining Employment Income & Cash Savings
If the applicable income is £22,000 against a £29,000 requirement, the shortfall is £7,000. At the ordinary visa-stage cash-savings rate, the additional savings required are `(£7,000 x 2.5) + £16,000 = £33,500`, provided the savings satisfy Appendix FM-SE.
4. Appendix FM-SE Specified Evidence Rules
Appendix FM-SE contains specified evidence rules that vary by income category. For ordinary salaried employment, evidence can include 6 months of payslips, corresponding bank statements showing the salary being paid, and an employer letter confirming employment and salary. Additional or different evidence is required for self-employment, limited-company income, savings, pensions and other categories.
5. Benefit Exception and Adequate Maintenance
A partner whose UK sponsor receives certain specified disability or carer benefits does not have to satisfy the £29,000 Minimum Income Requirement. Instead, the applicant must show adequate maintenance and accommodation without relying on additional public funds. The caseworker assesses the household's income and housing costs against the applicable benefit-level test.
6. Transitional Savings at Extension and ILR
For applicants protected by the pre-11 April 2024 £18,600 rules, the savings formula differs according to the application stage. For a normal limited-leave application, savings alone can require £62,500 where the income is zero. At ILR, however, the full amount of savings above £16,000 can count toward the requirement, because there is no further 2.5-year period of limited leave to fund.
7. Combining Income and Savings
For the current £29,000 requirement, cash savings can normally cover a shortfall using the formula: (£29,000 minus qualifying annual income) × 2.5, then add £16,000. Not every category of income can be combined with savings in every circumstance, so the exact combination must be checked against Appendix FM and Appendix FM-SE.
Essential Summary & 2026 Checklist
- The general Minimum Income Requirement for a first partner application made on or after 11 April 2024 is £29,000 gross annual income, subject to the applicable exceptions and permitted income sources.
- Applicants who first successfully applied as a partner before 11 April 2024 can remain subject to transitional £18,600 rules when continuing with the same partner, subject to the transitional requirements.
- Cash savings of £88,500 can satisfy the £29,000 requirement on a normal visa-stage application where savings alone are being relied on, subject to the Appendix FM-SE ownership, access and holding-period rules.
- Specified cash savings can be combined with qualifying employment income and certain other permitted income sources to meet a shortfall, subject to the rules for the relevant income category.
- Specified Appendix FM-SE evidence is required, but the exact documents depend on whether the case relies on employment, self-employment, savings, pension or other permitted income.
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