Yes, it may be possible to get a mortgage while you are still in a probation period or shortly after starting a new job.
You do not necessarily need to wait three or six months or remain in the role until your probation has formally ended. Some lenders can consider a newly employed applicant from the start of the contract, while others may require one or more payslips or prefer the probation period to have been completed.
The difficulty is that there is no single rule across the mortgage market.
One lender may be comfortable with a signed permanent employment contract and a confirmed start date. Another may want the first salary payment to appear on a bank statement. A further lender may treat the probation clause as a material risk, particularly where the applicant has changed career, has limited employment history or is relying on variable income.
FG & Cook's specialist mortgage advisers can check how the employment contract, start date, probation terms and available income evidence fit current lender criteria before an application is submitted.
Can you get a mortgage while you are in a probation period?
Potentially, yes.
A probation clause does not automatically make an employment contract temporary. Many applicants are employed on permanent contracts from their first day, with probation forming part of the employer's initial assessment process.
Mortgage lenders are concerned primarily with whether the income is likely to continue. They may look at whether the contract is permanent or fixed term, the applicant's occupation, previous employment history, whether the new role is in the same industry, the salary structure, the length and terms of probation, available payslips and the wider credit position.
A straightforward move between established employers in the same profession may be viewed more favourably than a complete change of career with no track record in the new role.
Why can a probation period concern mortgage lenders?
A mortgage is usually a long-term commitment, so the lender must assess whether the applicant's income appears stable and sustainable.
At the start of a new job, there may be less evidence that the role will continue, that the applicant will pass probation, that the stated salary is being paid or that any variable income will be maintained.
The probation period itself is only one part of the case. An applicant with a strong employment record, clean credit history and a direct move into an equivalent role may still present a comparatively low underwriting risk.
Does probation mean you are not permanently employed?
Not necessarily.
An applicant may have a permanent employment contract that includes a three- or six-month probation clause. The job is not automatically temporary merely because probation applies.
A permanent role with probation is different from a fixed-term contract that ends on a specified date. Fixed-term contractors may be assessed under separate criteria involving the time remaining and the applicant's history of similar contracts.
The employment contract should therefore be read carefully rather than described simply as “a new job”.
Can you apply before your new job has started?
Sometimes.
Certain lenders may consider future employment income where the applicant has a signed and unconditional employment contract and is due to begin work within an acceptable period. Others may insist that employment has started or that the first payslip has been received.
A job offer is not always enough. The lender may require a complete contract signed by both parties rather than an informal email or conditional offer.
Where the application relies on future salary, the timing of exchange and completion also matters. The lender may be willing to issue an offer but require the new employment to have commenced before completion.
Do you need three months of payslips?
Not with every lender.
Three months of payslips is a familiar evidence requirement, but it is not a universal condition that must be met before any mortgage application can proceed.
Depending on the lender and circumstances, acceptable evidence might include the latest payslip, the first payslip from the new employer, a signed employment contract, an employer's reference, a bank statement showing the salary, previous payslips, a P60 or confirmation that probation has been completed.
The absence of three new payslips may narrow lender choice, but it does not necessarily make the application impossible.
A first payslip may contain a partial month, joining bonus, tax adjustment or emergency tax code. The lender needs to understand which income is genuinely recurring.
Does your previous employment history matter?
Yes, often significantly.
A lender may be more comfortable where the applicant has moved directly between similar roles without a break. A teacher moving to another school, a solicitor joining a different firm or a nurse changing NHS trust may retain a clear history of occupation and earnings even though the employer has changed.
A complete career change can still be acceptable, but it may receive more scrutiny. Someone moving into a newly qualified professional role presents a different case from someone continuing an established career.
The reason for the move may also help explain the application. A promotion, greater job security or a higher basic salary can provide a clearer narrative than a succession of short employments.
What if there has been a gap between jobs?
A short gap does not automatically prevent a mortgage.
Applicants commonly have gaps because of notice periods, gardening leave, relocation, redundancy, training, parental leave, illness, travel or waiting for a new role to begin.
The lender may ask how long the gap lasted, whether savings covered the period and whether the new role is now active.
The gap should be explained accurately. Trying to conceal a period without employment can create inconsistencies between the application, bank statements and credit history.
What income will the lender use?
For a straightforward employed applicant, the lender will usually begin with recurring gross basic salary.
Additional income such as guaranteed allowances, overtime, commission, bonuses, shift payments, location allowances, car allowances or on-call income may be treated differently.
A new basic salary may be usable from the employment contract or initial payslip. Variable income often requires a longer record because the lender needs evidence that it is regular and sustainable.
An applicant beginning a job with a £45,000 salary and a possible £20,000 discretionary bonus should not assume that the lender will immediately assess total income at £65,000. The basic salary may be accepted while the bonus is ignored, averaged from earlier evidence or included only after it has been received.
What if your new salary is higher than your previous income?
The higher basic salary may be considered, but the lender will want evidence that it is genuine and recurring.
Suppose an applicant earned £40,000 in their previous role and has accepted a permanent position paying £55,000. A suitable lender may use the £55,000 salary shown in the new contract even where only one payslip has been issued or probation is still ongoing.
A large increase is not automatically unacceptable, but it is more likely to generate questions about whether it reflects a promotion, a change of field, temporary allowances or a role that has not yet commenced.
How are bonuses, commission and overtime treated in a new job?
Usually with more caution than basic salary.
An employment contract might state that a bonus or commission scheme is available, but that does not prove how much the applicant will earn.
The lender may require several months of payslips, a longer history, evidence from the previous employer, an employer's reference or confirmation that the payment is guaranteed.
Where the applicant has moved into a similar role with an established history of commission or overtime, some lenders may consider the earlier record. Others may require evidence from the new employer.
Guaranteed contractual income is generally easier to assess than discretionary earnings.
What if the job is fixed term rather than permanent?
Fixed-term employment is normally assessed differently from permanent employment with probation.
The lender may consider the time remaining, history of previous fixed-term contracts, likelihood of renewal, occupation and gaps between contracts.
Nationwide criteria, as checked in mid-2026, provide one example: qualifying fixed-term applicants may need a history of fixed-term work or a sufficiently long period remaining on the current contract. This is a lender-specific illustration, not a rule applying throughout the market.
A permanent contract containing probation should not be assessed automatically as though it were a fixed-term arrangement.
What if you are starting as a contractor or becoming self-employed?
This is different from starting a new permanent PAYE job.
A new contractor may be assessed using the current contract rate, contract duration, previous industry experience, earlier employed income, limited-company accounts, salary and dividends or day-rate annualisation.
A person becoming a sole trader or limited-company director may need to satisfy self-employed criteria rather than ordinary new-employment rules.
The lender must understand the actual legal and payment structure. Describing every change as “starting a new job” can lead to the wrong criteria being applied.
What documents might the lender request?
An applicant who has recently changed employment should expect the application to be checked carefully.
Documents may include the signed employment contract, job-offer letter, recent payslips, previous-employer payslips, bank statements, P60, employer's reference, evidence of the start date, details of probation, an explanation of any employment gap, proof of deposit and information about credit commitments.
The salary on the application should match the contract and payslip. Any joining bonus, expenses, deductions or partial-month adjustments should be identified rather than presented as ordinary monthly income.
What if you change jobs during the mortgage application?
Tell the broker and lender immediately.
A mortgage application and offer are based on the applicant's circumstances at the time. A material change in employment before completion can require the lender to reassess affordability.
This includes resigning, redundancy, changing employer, moving from employed to self-employed work, receiving a lower salary, having probation extended, failing probation, changing from permanent to fixed-term work or having hours reduced.
Do not assume that an issued mortgage offer makes the change irrelevant.
Failing to disclose a significant employment change could place the accuracy of the application in question. The lender may amend, suspend or withdraw the offer after reassessment.
A positive change, such as a promotion or higher salary, should also be disclosed because fresh documents may be required.
What happens if you lose the job after the mortgage offer?
The lender should be told before completion.
A mortgage offer is normally conditional on there being no material adverse change in the applicant's circumstances.
Losing employment can affect the ability to meet the monthly payments and may cause the lender to reassess or withdraw the offer.
The applicant should also consider whether proceeding remains financially responsible, even if another role is expected shortly.
Should you wait until probation has ended?
Sometimes waiting is sensible, but it is not always necessary.
Waiting may help where variable income is essential, no payslips have been issued, the career change is substantial, probation may be extended or the employment position appears uncertain.
Completing probation can increase lender choice and reduce the need for additional evidence.
However, waiting may add little where the applicant already has a permanent contract, a strong work history, sufficient basic salary and access to a lender that accepts the circumstances.
The decision should be based on actual lender options and transaction risk, not a blanket assumption that everyone must wait six months.
Can probation affect the mortgage rate or deposit?
Not automatically.
Some mainstream lenders may accept an applicant during probation on normal residential products.
A more specialist route may be needed where probation is combined with a career change, limited evidence, recent adverse credit, a small deposit, heavy reliance on commission, a short fixed-term contract, unusual property or a high borrowing requirement.
The probation period itself does not necessarily result in a higher rate.
A low advertised rate is irrelevant if the lender will not accept the employment circumstances or will not use enough of the income.
Common mistakes we frequently see
One common mistake is assuming that every lender requires three months with the new employer.
Another is withholding the probation clause because the employment is described as permanent. The lender may request the contract and identify it during underwriting.
Applicants also sometimes rely on a projected bonus or commission figure that has not yet been earned.
A further mistake is resigning or changing jobs after the mortgage offer without notifying the lender.
Perhaps the largest mistake is delaying a potentially workable application because someone has repeated the general rule that “you cannot get a mortgage while on probation”. The correct answer depends on the lender, contract and wider application.
How can FG & Cook help?
A mortgage during probation is often determined by the way the employment is presented and evidenced before the application reaches underwriting.
FG & Cook's specialist lending advisers can review the new employment contract, start date, probation clause, previous work history, career continuity, basic and variable income, available payslips, employment gaps, deposit, credit profile and current lender criteria.
This can establish whether the application is viable now, whether a particular document is still needed or whether waiting would materially improve the available options.
Readers moving from employment into contracting may also find our article on day-rate contractor income calculations useful, while applicants moving into self-employment can review our guide to mortgages with one year's self-employed accounts.
You can also explore FG & Cook's residential mortgage services or contact an adviser before making an application.
FG & Cook Financial Services Limited is an Appointed Representative of OSL Financial Services Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under Firm Reference Number 948512.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
This article is intended for general information only and does not constitute personalised mortgage, employment, tax or legal advice. Lender criteria and individual underwriting decisions vary.