Whose income counts for an unmarried partner visa: the UK sponsor’s, the applicant’s, or both?
The answer depends on the income source, where the person is living, their immigration status, and the financial evidence category used.
There is no universal rule that only the sponsor’s salary counts, but there is also no general permission to add every pound earned by either partner. Identify the route and evidence category before adding figures together.
Start with the current financial requirement
An unmarried partner application under the family route is subject to the financial requirements unless an applicable exception or alternative route applies. GOV.UK currently states that partner applicants usually need to show combined income of at least £29,000 a year. The applicable amount may differ under transitional arrangements for some people who first applied as a partner before 11 April 2024 and are extending with the same partner.
The rules and thresholds must be checked for the actual application date.
The official financial requirements page describes permitted sources and the relevant threshold. The detailed evidence rules are in Appendix FM-SE. This article answers a narrower question: whose money may form part of the calculation. For the full route overview, see the live Knightsbridge financial requirements guide and Unmarried Partner Visa page.
Do not use a figure from an old blog, forum post or a previous application without checking its date and transitional position. Even if the target amount is clear, the permitted source and required documents can determine whether a particular person’s income can be used.
The sponsor’s income
The UK-based sponsor’s qualifying income is commonly the central source. Depending on the case and category, this may include employment, self-employment, company director income, pension or specified benefits with adequate maintenance rules. Each source has different evidence requirements and assessment periods. A payslip is not enough in every case, and a bank balance is not necessarily evidence of regular income.
For employment, check who employs the sponsor, where the work is based, how long it has been held, whether the pay is salaried or variable, and what documents the relevant category specifies.
A recent job change can affect the period used and whether prior employment can be included.
For self-employment, turnover is not automatically the figure that counts; tax and accounts evidence may determine the relevant income. Use the existing specialist guides for Category A and Category B employment, self-employed income, and company directors.
Where the sponsor receives a specified disability or carer benefit, a different adequate maintenance test may apply instead of the usual minimum income requirement. The exemption is not simply a lower salary threshold. The application must identify the benefit and provide evidence under the applicable rules, then show that the maintenance calculation is met. Check the current guidance carefully.
The applicant’s income
The applicant’s income may be relevant, but the rules distinguish between income earned in the UK and income earned overseas, and between a person applying from inside the UK and one applying from outside. Permission to work is also important. A person who is lawfully working in the UK may be able to rely on qualifying employment income under the rules, while someone outside the UK may need to meet specific conditions for overseas employment income, such as continuing employment and a qualifying job offer in the UK. These are not interchangeable situations.
Do not assume that a partner’s current UK wages can be included simply because the couple will live together after approval. The applicant’s immigration status and ability to work at the time of application matter.
Equally, do not automatically exclude the applicant’s income where the rules permit it and the evidence meets the specified category. The answer must be tied to the actual application route and the exact source of earnings.
Income from self-employment has separate rules. If the applicant is overseas, a UK self-employed business that has not yet begun may not be treated in the same way as established income. If the applicant is already in the UK with permission to run a business, the relevant accounts, tax year and evidence category need to be checked. Review the self-employment documents guide before relying on a forecast or platform statement.
Can you combine both partners’ income?
In many cases the route allows combined qualifying income, but only permitted sources can be combined and the documentation must satisfy the rules. The task is not to add the gross annual salaries shown on two job offers. Confirm that each stream is eligible, that the relevant period and pay calculation are correct, and that the evidence is specified for the category.
For example, a sponsor may have salaried employment while the applicant has lawful employment in the UK. Both streams might be relevant in a case where the rules allow them, but the application must use the right category and support each stream with the required records.
If one partner’s income is from self-employment and the other’s from employment, there may be interaction between categories and evidence periods. A total can be mathematically above the threshold yet fail to meet the prescribed documentary requirements.
Where savings are also used, the formula and source rules differ from wages. Savings may be relied on alone or with income only where the applicable calculation permits it and the funds meet ownership, control and holding-period requirements. Read the specific income and savings combination guide. Avoid counting a single source twice, such as treating the same company funds as personal income and personal savings.
Income is not the same as money available for the household
Financial evidence often creates confusion because people use “income” to mean different things. Gross salary, net take-home pay, business turnover, taxable profit, cash in the bank and household disposable income are not the same figure. The Rules specify which sources and calculations can be relied upon. A family budget can help the couple plan, but it does not replace the prescribed financial evidence.
For self-employed partners, distinguish revenue from profit after allowable expenses and from drawings taken out of the business. For employees, distinguish the stated annual salary from variable overtime, commission or bonuses. For savings, distinguish money legally owned and controlled by the couple from funds temporarily transferred for the application. The relevant category determines what is counted and how the evidence must be presented.
Do not rely on a bank statement total without explaining where the funds came from. If an account shows deposits from a business, relatives or another account, the application should make the source and ownership clear where it is relevant to the category. This is especially important when income sources are mixed or have changed recently.
Worked example: two different income sources
Imagine the sponsor has been employed by a UK company for eight months and the applicant is in the UK on a visa that permits work. The applicant has six months of wages from a second employer. The couple should not simply add both annualised figures and assume the target is met. They need to check whether the sponsor’s and applicant’s employment can be combined under the applicable category, whether the required payslips and bank statements cover the right period, and whether either job is variable or recently started.
If the applicant is overseas instead, the analysis may be different. Their current overseas job may be relevant only if the specific rules for overseas income and a UK job offer are satisfied. The example illustrates why “whose income counts” cannot be answered without location, status, source and dates.
Common mistakes
A common error is to use the applicant’s income without checking whether they have permission to work or whether the category permits it. Another is to rely on a sponsor’s new job using a six-month calculation when the category requires a different period, or to combine self-employed profit with employee payslips without understanding the rules. These mistakes are avoidable if the category is chosen before evidence is collected.
It is also risky to assume that a previous successful application proves the same figures work again. Rules, threshold, employment and family circumstances may have changed. Transitional provisions may apply to some extensions but not to a new partner application, a different sponsor or a change of route. Confirm the applicant’s first partner application date and whether they are extending with the same partner.
Knightsbridge view: decide the category before calculating the total
Our approach is to list every proposed source and classify it before adding anything. For each one, record who earns or owns it, where that person is based, the relevant dates, immigration status, whether the source is permitted, how it is calculated, and what documents the Rules require. Then calculate the total under the chosen category. This avoids a common trap: starting with a target and selecting documents that appear to reach it, without confirming that the calculation is legally available.
If the family relies on several sources, has recently changed employment, runs a business, or is close to the threshold, obtain a case-specific review before submission. The main issue may be the category rather than the amount. The right evidence can make a complex calculation understandable; a large stack of financial records without a clear method often makes it harder to assess.
Frequently asked questions
Can the applicant’s salary count? It may, depending on where the applicant is, their status and the category. Check the current rules before relying on it.
Can both partners’ wages be combined? Potentially, where the sources are permitted and all evidence rules are met. The exact periods and documents matter.
Does cash in the bank count as income? No. Savings and income are distinct sources with different calculations and evidence requirements.
Does a child’s income count? Do not assume it does. The permitted financial sources and child-related rules must be checked specifically.
What to do next
Prepare a list of each income source, the person who receives it, location and immigration status, dates, and available records. Compare it with the live financial requirements guide and the main unmarried partner route. If you plan to combine categories or use applicant income, request a Knightsbridge Case Assessment. Any application work is separately agreed.
Related reading: children as dependants, switching from Student or Graduate permission, and the specialist self-employed income guide.
