Locum medicine is an increasingly common way to practise. When it comes to mortgages, the same challenge keeps arising: lenders who see variable monthly income and treat it as instability rather than a reflection of professional earnings.
The problem with standard underwriting
Standard assessments are built for consistency — same employer, same salary, same payslips every month. Locum income does not look like that. It varies, may come from multiple sources, and may be structured through PAYE, umbrella, or a limited company. To a standard system, this registers as complexity — and complexity often produces a decline.
A locum doctor with consistent earnings over a reasonable period is a financially reliable borrower by any sensible measure. Specialist lenders understand this and assess locum income accordingly.
Income protection is especially important for locums
There is no employer sick pay in locum medicine. If you cannot work, your income stops immediately. We raise income protection with every locum client and would encourage you to consider it alongside your mortgage rather than separately — because the two conversations are connected.
How long does my locum history need to be?
Different lenders have different requirements. How this applies to you depends on your specific circumstances — we will give you an honest view at the first conversation.