Borrower types

In this section we cover:

Armed forces

We accept income from British Armed Forces personnel. We’ll also accept applications from personnel purchasing a property to let straight away. They will need to occupy the property within three years.

We’ll also accept additional borrowing (further advance) applications. However, where the property is already let, this will only be for essential or green improvements.  

Where your client can’t provide UK address history, you can key the Ministry of Defence BFPO postcode that corresponds to their barracks. 

We support the Forces Help to Buy (FHTB) scheme. You can find more information about FHTB on our housing schemes page. 

Gurkhas

For Gurkhas who have completed four or more years’ service in the British Armed Forces, you can key as having Indefinite Leave to Remain. You will need to provide proof of length of service.  

For Gurkhas who don’t have this length of service or Indefinite Leave to Remain, you should key as Non-EEA foreign nationals. However, Tier 1 or 2 visa proof isn't required.  

Back to top

Existing Nationwide borrowers

Definitions

Existing Nationwide borrower:
  • An applicant who redeemed a Nationwide mortgage no more than one year ago and has not held another mortgage elsewhere in the interim.
  • For joint applicants, only one applicant needs to have an existing mortgage with Nationwide. 
Existing Nationwide borrower moving home:
  • Defined as above
  • and taking a new Nationwide mortgage on another property.
Existing Nationwide borrower moving home and porting:
  • Defined as above
  • and porting their Nationwide mortgage to another property.

Your existing Nationwide clients may be able to get a better mortgage deal by staying with us. See our Existing Nationwide borrowers product page to explore their options.  

Back to top

Expats and applicants working abroad

All applicants must be resident in the UK for tax purposes when the mortgage completes. You'll also need to include additional outgoings abroad if your applicant works abroad. 
We'll consider applications where:
  • Tick icon

    Your client is a UK national working abroad and their family (such as spouse and children) will remain in the UK as occupiers. It's expected that the spouse will be a joint borrower.

  • Tick icon

    Your clients can provide a full UK address history for the last 3 years.

However, we won't accept where:
  • Cross icon The property is to be let or left unoccupied while your client works abroad.
  • Cross icon Your client's income is paid in a foreign currency.
  • Cross icon Your client has self-employed income from outside the UK.
Back to top

First time buyers

We define first time buyers as applicants who have not held a mortgage in the last three years, either in the UK or abroad.  

All applicants need to be first time buyers to qualify for first time buyer exclusive products and discounts. 

Helping Hand for first time buyers

Helping Hand may make your first time buyer client’s home more affordable, with up to 6x their income available to borrow at up to 95% LTV.

Available for:
  • Tick icon All applicants must be first time buyers as defined above.
  • Tick icon

    Minimum income of £30,000 for sole applicants or £50,000 for joint applicants. You can include all income sources except self-employed income.

  • Tick icon Available on 5-10 year fixed rate mortgages only.
Not available for:
  • Cross icon Self-employed applicants.
  • Cross icon Use with any scheme or non-standard ownership type. For example First Homes, Shared Ownership, Genuine Bargain Price, Right to Buy and Help to Buy.
  • Cross icon Interest Only or Part and Part borrowing.
Other restrictions

Meeting these criteria does not guarantee we'll offer your clients Helping Hand. Whether we can offer Helping Hand is subject to many factors, including credit score and how much debt the applicant has. We're unable to provide further details if your client is not offered Helping Hand.  

  • Maximum lending limits depend on the application. See our LTV and maximum loan size criteria. 
  • Helping Hand is only available to first time buyers on their original purchase. It will not be available on any future transactions, such as additional borrowing.  

For more information and case support, see our Helping Hand product page.

Back to top

Foreign Nationals

Standard lending criteria apply to foreign nationals with:

  • Republic if Ireland (ROI) citizenship
  • Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)
  • EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) Settled or Pre-Settled status.

All other foreign nationals:

  • Tick icon Minimum income: primary basic income of £50,000 for single applicants, £75,000 joint. We will only apply this criteria if income from the applicant without ILR is needed for affordability. 
  • Tick icon Maximum LTV: 85% if minimum income criteria are met. 75% if minimum income criteria are not met. Minimum income determines if applicants are eligible for a higher LTV.
  • Tick icon Proofs of right to live and work in the UK.
  • Tick icon Proof of residency
  • Tick icon
     At least 12 months remaining on their visa when you upload the proof, unless their income is not being considered as part of the application. This applies even if they have a points-based visa or the joint borrower is a UK national. 
  • Tick icon
     Their salary must be paid into a UK bank account. Note that for these purposes, the Channel Islands are not considered part of the UK.
  • Tick icon Their primary basic income must be paid in GBP £ sterling.

Proofs of right to live and work in the UK

Note:

we no longer accept the Biometric Residence Permit or Biometric Residence cards. 

The gov.uk check someone’s immigration status tool is the best proof for the majority of cases. Your client provides you a unique share code that gives you permission to view their digital eVisa status online.  

If you are provided with this code, you will need to visit the link above and follow the instructions. Download the ‘check someone’s immigration status’ document and share it with us. 

It will include the following information:  

  • Date of the check 
  • Organisation or Company name 
  • Purpose of the check 
  • Reference number 

Specific terms used on this page allow us to confirm their status.

If you are unable to provide the document, send us the share code.


Back to top

Unacceptable proofs of right to live and work in the UK

  • Cross icon Applications for a visa. The applicant must already have an acceptable visa confirming their right to remain in the UK. 
  • Cross icon Asylum Seeker Leave to Remain
  • Cross icon Biometric Residents Permits (BRP)
  • Cross icon Blue/ Pink Home Office 'residence documentation' booklets
  • Cross icon EEA Family Permit
  • Cross icon Home Office letters
  • Cross icon Humanitarian Protection (HP) leave to remain
  • Cross icon Permanent Residence Card/ Biometric Residence Card (BRC)
  • Cross icon Permitted Paid Engagement
  • Cross icon Protection eVisa
  • Cross icon Refugee Leave to Remain
  • Cross icon Standard Visitor/ Tourist
  • Cross icon
     Residence Card, including those supplied via Points Based Immigration system
  • Cross icon Student/ Graduate
  • Cross icon Tier 1 Investor Visa
  • Cross icon Tier 1 Postgraduate Study Visa
  • Cross icon Tier 1 Start up Visa
  • Cross icon Tier 2 Intra-Company transfer/ Global Business Mobility Route
  • Cross icon Tier 3
  • Cross icon Tier 4 Student Visa
  • Cross icon Transfer Visa
  • Cross icon Transit
  • Cross icon Ukraine Permission Extension
  • Cross icon Working Holiday maker
Back to top

Joint borrower/ sole proprietor applications

We don't currently support joint borrower/ sole proprietor applications.
Back to top

Home movers

Examples of home movers include:

For more information, see our Home mover product page.

Like for like

If your client is an existing Nationwide borrower moving home, we can consider their application on a 'Like for Like' basis if:

  • Tick icon The total amount they wish to borrow is no more than their existing mortgage balance. This does not include product fees, if added to the loan. 
  • Tick icon
     All applicants on the mortgage will be the same with no changes, removals, or replacements. 
  • Tick icon Your client will keep their current repayment method.
  • Tick icon The term of the new mortgage is not shorter than the current term. We will allow term extensions, unless the term extension would take your client into retirement or they are already retired. 
Proofs

On Like for Like applications you need to provide all generated proofs. This includes proof of income. We will also require three months’ bank statements. 

Case support

If your client’s mortgage is Interest Only and meets the above criteria but fails affordability assessment, you must manually appeal through your BDM. They will send your appeal to our underwriting team for review. 

Moving home, but not porting

If your client is an existing Nationwide borrower moving to a new property, they can redeem their current mortgage in favour of another Nationwide mortgage product.  

They need to pay any Early Repayment Charges (ERC) that applies to the current mortgage. If they are within the last three months of their current mortgage deal ERC period, they will not need to pay.  

Back to top

Retired borrowers/ borrowing into retirement

If the mortgage term extends into your client’s retirement, the following criteria apply. 

Key facts

  • The maximum retirement age we can accept is 70.
  • The mortgage term must end before the oldest applicant's 75th birthday.
  • We won't accept foreign currency income.

Back to top