NHS Mortgages
We love NHS workers! You can often access exclusive deals and more flexible lender treatment. Over the last 10 years, we’ve helped thousands of NHS staff and key workers get the right mortgage advice, with 5 experts dedicated to this. We guarantee to get your mortgage approved and find you the best deal. If we can’t and someone else does, we’ll give you £100!*
Check Your Eligibility and Affordability with Expert Guidance
A quick call can give you mortgage options and the certainty you need to move forward with confidence.
Author: Pete Mugleston
CeMAP Mortgage Advisor, MD
Quick Summary
NHS staff can often access exclusive mortgage deals and discounts, with some lenders offering more flexible criteria, in part because they want to say thanks, but also because of the job security these roles bring.
Many lenders will consider temporary or fixed-term contracts more favourably, as well as overtime, shift allowances, disbursements and other income types, when working out what you can afford, which can really boost your borrowing power.
There are even specialist mortgage products just for NHS workers – definitely worth exploring if you’re in the sector, and something we do a lot of – so reach out for advice!
There is no such thing as a specific NHS mortgage, but you might find that the government has various initiatives that NHS workers qualify for, while certain lenders are more open to applicants working for the NHS, offering a degree of understanding and flexibility.
This boosts your chances of getting the mortgage approval you want and need. Ultimately, though, as with any mortgage, whether you qualify will depend on how well you meet the lender’s criteria.
Before starting your mortgage hunt, it’s worth connecting with an advisor who has experience helping NHS staff learn what options might be available to you.
Here are the key criteria lenders will consider when they assess your application
- Employment status within the NHS
- Total income, including additional allowances
You should consider these questions before applying, too:
- What is your specific role within the NHS?
- Is your employment permanent, temporary, or on a fixed-term contract?
- Do you receive additional income, such as overtime or shift allowances?
Yes, it’s possible. Some mortgage providers and housing developers offer key worker mortgage discounts and incentives. Barrett Homes, for example, offers a 5% deposit contribution to such personnel, while Tilia Homes takes £500 off every £25,000 spent on one of their new-build properties. Others might offer cashback schemes or contribute something tangible, such as the property’s alarm system or flooring.
It’s important to note that if there is an advantage for NHS workers, the individual usually has to have a permanent contract with the NHS (not be retired) and be a clinical staff member.
An experienced mortgage broker would be best placed to help you compare the whole lending and developer market to find the best incentives available.
No such scheme exists, but there are some alternative government schemes that, although not specifically NHS mortgage deals, are primed for health workers to take advantage of.
These include:
- The First Homes scheme: Designed with local young people and key workers, such as NHS staff, in mind, this scheme supports those earning less than £80,000 (or £90,000 in London) by offering a discount of 30% to 50% on a certain number of new builds.
- Shared Ownership: This scheme doesn’t offer anything specific to NHS workers, but can help those struggling to get onto the property ladder. It allows you to purchase just a portion of a home, making it more affordable and leaving you to pay rent on the remaining share. Over time, as you climb the NHS wage bands, you could increase your ownership share.
- Right to Buy: Again, this is not NHS exclusive, but this initiative allows those living in a council-owned property to buy that same property at a discounted price, making it far more affordable, especially if you earn a lower income.
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How much can you borrow?
Like any other mortgage applicant, what you can loan as an NHS worker will mainly rely on a lender’s assessment of your affordability. They’ll largely use your income to determine this, multiplying it by 4 or 4.5 times or, in certain circumstances, going as high as 5 times or 6 times your salary. Additionally, they’ll assess your expenditures and any bad credit or debt you may have.
Below is a table of the average salaries for various NHS positions and what they’d equate to when multiplied above 4 times.
| Profession/Average salary | 4 times | 4.5 times | 5 times | 5.5 times | 6 times |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paramedic £36,355 | £145,420 | £126,598 | £181,775 | £199,953 | £218,130 |
| GP £72,000 | £285,000 | £324,000 | £357,000 | £396,000 | £432,000 |
| Nurse £33,384 | £133,536 | £150,228 | £166,920 | £183,612 | £200,304 |
| Administrator £20,198 | £80,792 | £90,891 | £100,990 | £111,089 | £121,188 |
| Occupational therapist £35,814 | £139,476 | £161,163 | £175,290 | £196,977 | £211,104 |
| Porter £22,328 | £89,312 | £100,476 | £111,640 | £122,804 | £133,968 |
Affordability calculator
Should your salary differ from any of the above, you can play around with our affordability calculator to determine a mortgage size you might be likely to get.
Mortgage Affordability Calculator
Use this calculator to determine how much you could potentially borrow for a mortgage, based on the typical salary multiples used by most UK lenders.
Your Results:
You could borrow up to
Most lenders would consider letting you borrow
This is based on 4.5 times your household income, the standard calculation used by the majority of mortgage providers. To borrow more than this, you will need to use a mortgage broker to access specialist lenders.
Some lenders would consider letting you borrow
This is based on 5 times your household income, a salary multiple you might struggle to qualify for without the help of a broker. This income multiple is not widely available to customers who are applying directly with a lender.
A minority of lenders would consider letting you borrow
This is based on 6 times your household income, a salary multiple you will struggle to get without a broker. Six-times salary mortgages are usually only available under very specific circumstances.
Get Started with an expert broker to find out exactly how much you could borrow.
Get StartedOf course, the best thing to do is consult a broker on what you personally can expect to borrow, as such calculations don’t factor in those other elements of spending, debt and credit history.
Which lenders offer the best mortgages for NHS workers?
Many mortgage providers, be they high street lenders or specialist ones, are open to NHS applicants, but some go one step further by making certain exceptions or more carefully considering the nuances of buying a house as an NHS worker.
For example, HSBC, Coventry Building Society and Nationwide consider applicants on zero-hour contracts specifically for NHS work yet may not be so open to such contracts in other types of work. Some specialist lenders even offer discounts depending on your role.
Related Articles
How a mortgage broker can help NHS staff, find the best deals
What if a significant part of your earnings comes from overtime? What if you work unsociable hours, making it difficult to meet a mortgage provider in person? What if you lack the time to sit and find the best mortgage deal for an NHS worker out there?
All of these factors could lead to a rejection or a missed mortgage opportunity. This is where a broker comes in.
They can:
- Assess your financial situation and give you an accurate figure for a mortgage size you could expect.
- Share any ways you, as an NHS worker, might receive extra benefits or discounts through a mortgage.
- Recommend a lender they already know to look favourably on NHS workers and package your application in a way that explains the nuances of NHS life, setting you up for approval.
If you get in touch, we can arrange for a broker we work with who has experience seeking out the best mortgage offers for NHS workers to contact you straight away.
Speak to a broker experienced in NHS mortgages.
If you’re trying to buy a house as an NHS staffer, your unique employer will add a degree of reliability to your application. Still, various elements could work against you should you compile an average application.
This is why partnering with a specialist mortgage broker for NHS staff is vital. You don’t have to go through this process alone when expert guidance is available.
Call 0330 818 7026 or fill out our enquiry form, and you could very quickly be taking part in a free, first-time consultation.
Speak to an expert about NHS Mortgages
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FAQs
Unfortunately, this is an old government scheme that many NHS staff did qualify for, but it is no longer active.
There is no blue light card mortgage currently on offer. However, it can get you discounts on estate agencies and letting management fees with some companies.
Ask a quick question
We know everyone's circumstances are different, that's why we work with mortgage brokers who are experts in NHS Mortgages.
Ask us a question and we'll get the best expert to help.
Pete Mugleston
CeMAP Mortgage Advisor, MD
Pete, a CeMAP-qualified mortgage advisor and an expert in all things mortgages, cut his teeth right in the middle of the credit crunch. With plenty of people needing help and few mortgage providers lending, Pete successfully went the extra mile to find mortgages for people whom many others considered lost causes. The experience he gained and his love of helping people reach their goals led him to establish Online Mortgage Advisor, with one clear vision – to help as many customers as possible get the right advice, regardless of need or background.
Pete’s presence in the industry as the ‘go-to’ for specialist finance continues to grow, and he is regularly cited in and writes for both local and national press, as well as trade publications, with a regular column in Mortgage Introducer and being the exclusive mortgage expert for LOVEMoney. Pete also writes for Online Mortgage Advisor of course!
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