Spouse Visa Financial Requirement (UK – 2026)

When applying for a UK spouse visa in 2026, meeting the spouse visa financial requirement is one of the most crucial parts of your application. This article explains the current rules, how much income or savings you need, acceptable evidence, exceptions, and practical tips to help applicants succeed.

This guide explains the UK spouse visa financial requirement in 2026.

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What Is the Financial Requirement For Spouse Visa In 2026?

For UK Spouse Visa applications in 2026, the Spouse Visa Financial Requirement remains set at £29,000 per year, following the increase introduced in April 2024. The government has confirmed that any further planned increases are currently paused and under review.

The financial requirement is a rule the UK Home Office uses to make sure sponsors (usually the UK-based partner) can support their spouse or partner financially without relying on public funds. It applies to most spouse and partner visa applications, whether applying from outside the UK (entry clearance) or extending in the UK (leave to remain).

Minimum Income Threshold – Spouse Visa Financial Requirement (2026)

As of 2026, the standard minimum income requirement to sponsor your spouse or partner is £29,000 gross per year.

This applies to:

• New spouse/partner visa applications after 11 April 2024
• Extensions or switching applications on the spouse route
• Household combined income if both partners are working legally in the UK

This £29,000 figure replaces the previous lower threshold of £18,600 that applied before April 2024.

Important: If you first applied for a partner/spouse visa before 11 April 2024 and you’re extending on the same route with the same partner, you might still use the older requirement (£18,600 plus child additions) under transitional protection.

Transitional Rules: Applications made before 11 April 2024

If the applicant was already on the partner route before 11 April 2024, transitional protections apply.

A dependent child means a non-British, non-settled child:

• under 18, or
• who was under 18 when they first applied under Appendix FM.

Children and Dependants Financial Requirement

Unlike the old rules where you needed extra income for children, under the current rules:

• The flat £29,000 requirement applies whether or not children are included in the application.

Understanding Income Categories (A–G)

Although Appendix FM itself does not use categories, the Home Office guidance divides income into Categories A to G, which is essential for understanding how income is assessed.

Overview of Income Categories

⚠️ Not all categories can be combined with each other, and each has strict evidential rules.

Employment Income: Categories A & B

Key Principles

• Gross income (before tax) is used.
• The sponsor’s income can be used for entry clearance.
• The applicant’s income can only be used for extensions or ILR if they already have permission to work in the UK.

Category A: Same Employer for at Least 6 Months

Who can use Category A?

• Sponsor or applicant (if working legally in the UK)
• Employed by the same employer for at least 6 months
• Paid at or above the minimum income level throughout the entire 6-month period

Salaried Employment

You must show that your gross annual salary exceeded the threshold for the full 6 months.

Common mistake:
A recent pay rise does not help unless it has been paid for 6 months.

Example
Sean earned £28,000 for years but was promoted to £30,000 three months ago.
❌ He cannot rely on £30,000 under Category A.
✔ Only £28,000 counts.

Non-Salaried Employment

Calculated as:

(Total gross income in last 6 months ÷ 6) × 12

Required Evidence (Category A)

Category A: Sponsor Returning to the UK

Sponsors employed overseas may combine:

1. Overseas income from the last 6 months, and
2. A confirmed UK job offer starting within 3 months of return

⚠️ Both parts must independently meet the minimum income threshold.

Category B: Less Than 6 Months or Variable Income

Category B has two mandatory tests, and both must be met.

Part 1 – Income at Date of Application

• Current gross annual salary, or
• Annualised non-salaried income

Part 2 – Actual Income in Last 12 Months

• Total income actually received must meet the threshold

Example
Paul earned £34,000 over 5 months in variable income.
✔ Annualised income exceeds £29,000
✔ Actual income in last 12 months exceeds £29,000
✔ Category B satisfied

Non-Employment Income: Category C

Permitted sources include:

• Rental income
• Dividends (non-family companies only)
• Investment income
• Maintenance payments
• Royalty payments
• Insurance or legal settlement payments
• Certain state benefits

📌 Income must have been received within the 12 months before the application.

Example
Tom earns £35,000 annually from rental property.
✔ He meets the requirement using Category C alone.

Cash Savings (financial requirement through cash savings): Category D

Key Rules

• Must be cash savings
• Held for at least 6 months
• Freely accessible
• Only savings above £16,000 count

Savings Calculation Formula

£16,000 + (2.5 × income shortfall)

Savings-Only Requirement (Post-April 2024)

Sale of Assets Exception

Savings from:

• Sale of property
• Liquidated investments

can be relied on without 6 months’ holding, provided full documentary evidence is supplied.

Pension Income: Category E

• State, occupational, or private pensions
• Must be in payment at least 28 days before application
• Easier evidential rules than other categories

Self-Employment & Limited Companies: Categories F & G

Category F

• Income from last full financial year

Category G

• Average of last two financial years

📌 Only gross taxable profits count.

Specified Limited Companies

If the sponsor or applicant:

• Is a director or employee, and
• Owns shares in a family company

then income must be calculated under Categories F or G — not A, B, or C.

⚠️ These categories have the heaviest evidential burden under Appendix FM-SE.

Sponsors on Benefits: No Minimum Income Threshold

If the sponsor receives a specified disability-related benefit, the £29,000 rule does not apply.

Instead, applicants must meet the adequate maintenance test, which is significantly lower.

Exceptional Circumstances (GEN 3.1)

Where strict compliance is impossible, the Home Office must consider:

• Other reliable financial support
• Article 8 ECHR implications
• Whether refusal would cause unjustifiably harsh consequences

This route is legally complex and should be carefully evidenced.

Evidence Format: A Common Cause of Refusals

Appendix FM-SE strictly regulates:

• Bank statement format
• Employer letters
• Payslips
• Dates (must be within 28 days of application)
• Certified translations

⚠️ Even strong applications fail due to formatting errors.

Final Thoughts

The UK spouse visa minimum income requirement in 2026 is not just about earnings — it is about:

• Choosing the correct category
• Calculating income precisely
• Submitting perfectly compliant evidence

If your income is complex, borderline, or involves savings, self-employment, overseas work, or benefits, professional immigration advice can be decisive.

Financial Requirement Exemptions For uK

Where your partner is in receipt of certain benefits or allowances in the UK, you may be exempt from meeting the financial requirement for the spouse visas by providing evidence of “adequate maintenance”. This includes:

• Carer’s Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance
• Severe Disablement Allowance
• Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
• Attendance Allowance
• Personal Independence Payment
• Armed Forces Independence Payment or Guaranteed Income Payment under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme
• Constant Attendance Allowance, Mobility Supplement or War Disablement Pension under the War Pensions Scheme
• Police Injury Pension

If the applicant’s partner is in receipt of one of the above benefits or allowances on behalf of their child, the applicant will be able to qualify by meeting the financial requirement through ‘adequate maintenance’, with evidence specified in Appendix FM-SE:

All the following must be provided:

• official documentation from the Department for Work and Pensions or Veterans Agency or Police Pension Authority confirming the current entitlement and the amount currently received
• at least one personal bank statement in the 12-month period prior to the date of application, showing payment of the benefit or allowance to which the person is currently entitled into their account

The minimum income threshold will apply at the next application stage if the applicant’s partner is no longer in receipt of one of these benefits or allowances at that time.

Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) for uK Spouse Visa

The UK Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) for a Spouse Visa is a mandatory upfront payment for access to the NHS, currently £1,035 per year, paid for the full duration of your visa in advance (e.g., £3,105 for the standard 2 years and 9 months). It’s calculated by rounding your total visa time to the nearest half-year and multiplying by the annual rate, with no exemptions for spouse visa applicants, though refunds are possible if your application is refused or withdrawn. For dependant children under 18, the immigration health surcharge is £776 per year.

Home Office Application Fee for spouse visa In 2026:

For a UK Spouse Visa in 2026, the standard application fee is £1,938 when applying from outside the UK and £1,321 when applying from within the UK.

Cash savings for Spouse Visa Financial Requirement In 2026

For a UK Spouse Visa Financial Requirement in 2026, if relying solely on cash savings, you need £88,500 (£16,000 + £29,000 x 2.5 years) held for at least six months, meeting the £29,000 income threshold equivalent, with funds from lawful sources, accessible in regulated accounts, and evidence showing consistent ownership.

Combining Income Categories for the UK Spouse Visa Financial Requirement

Meeting the UK spouse visa financial requirement is not just about how much money you earn, but how that income is combined. The Immigration Rules allow some income sources to be added together, but others cannot be mixed at all.

This guide explains what you can and cannot combine, category by category, in simple terms.

Quick Overview: What Does “Combining Categories” Mean?

“Combining categories” means adding different types of income together to reach the minimum income requirement (usually £29,000).

However:

• Some categories can be combined freely
• Some can be combined only in limited ways
• Some can never be combined

Using the wrong combination is a common reason for refusals.

Category A – Employment (6 Months or More)

Category A applies where the applicant or sponsor has been employed by the same employer for at least 6 months.

✅ Category A CAN be combined with:

• Category C – non-employment income (e.g. rental income, dividends)
• Category D – cash savings
• Category E – pension income
• Category F or G – self-employment income (if it falls within the relevant financial year)
• Category F or G – income from a specified limited company

❌ Category A CANNOT be combined with:

• Category B employment income

Simple example

If one job is over 6 months and another is under 6 months:

• You cannot mix Category A and Category B
• Either:
  • Use only the Category A job, or
  • Count both jobs under Category B

Important rule when combining Category A with Category F or G

If you combine Category A employment with self-employment or limited company income, the employment income must be recalculated to match the same financial year used for self-employment (usually 6 April – 5 April).

Category B – Employment (Less Than 6 Months or Variable Income)

Category B applies where:

• Employment is under 6 months, or
• Income varies significantly

Category B has two tests, and both must be met.

✅ Category B CAN be combined with:

• Category C – non-employment income
• Category D – cash savings (but only for part of the test – see below)
• Category E – pension income
• Category F or G – self-employment or specified limited company income (within the relevant financial year)

❌ Category B CANNOT be combined with:

• Category A employment income

Special rule: Combining Category B and Cash Savings (Category D)

Cash savings:

• ✅ Can help with Test 1 (income at the date of application)
• ❌ Cannot help with Test 2 (income actually received in the last 12 months)

In simple terms:

• Savings can reduce how much you need to be earning now
• But you must still have earned at least £29,000 from employment alone in the last 12 months

Category C – Non-Employment Income

This includes:

• Rental income
• Dividends (non-family companies)
• Maintenance payments
• Investment income
• Royalty payments

✅ Category C CAN be combined with:

• Category A employment
• Category B employment
• Category D cash savings
• Category E pension income
• Category F or G self-employment or limited company income (within relevant financial years)

Category D – Cash Savings

Cash savings are one of the most flexible categories — but not always.

✅ Category D CAN be combined with:

• Category A employment
• Category B employment (limited – see above)
• Category C non-employment income
• Category E pension income

❌ Category D CANNOT be combined with:

• Category F self-employment income
• Category G specified limited company income

📌 If you are self-employed or a company director, cash savings cannot be used to top up that income.

Category E – Pension Income

Pension income is relatively easy to combine.

✅ Category E CAN be combined with:

• Category A employment
• Category B employment
• Category C non-employment income
• Category D cash savings
• Category F or G self-employment or limited company income (within relevant financial years)

Category F – Self-Employment Income (Sole Trader / Partnership)

See if and when you can combine Category F with other categories:

✅ Category F CAN be combined with:

• Category A or B employment
• Category C non-employment income
• Category E pension income
• Other Category F self-employment income

❌ Category F CANNOT be combined with:

• Category D cash savings
• Income from a specified limited company

Key rule

If Category F is combined with other categories, all income must fall within the same most recent full financial year (usually 6 April – 5 April).

Category F or G – Specified Limited Company Income

This applies to family-owned limited companies.

✅ CAN be combined with:

• Category A or B employment
• Category C non-employment income
• Category E pension income

❌ CANNOT be combined with:

• Category D cash savings
• Self-employment income as a sole trader or partnership

Financial year rule

The relevant financial year is based on the company’s CT600 tax period, not the personal tax year.

Simple Summary Table

FAQ: UK Spouse Visa Financial Requirement 2026