UK Family Visa Minimum Income £29,000 — What Counts in 2026?

If you're sponsoring a partner or spouse to come to the UK, the single question that decides your application is: can you show £29,000 of qualifying income? In 2026 the rules around what counts — and what absolutely does not — are tighter than most guides explain. This article walks through every income source, the exact evidence needed and the six mistakes that sink applications every week.

Why £29,000 and not £38,700?

In April 2024 the Family visa minimum income threshold rose from £18,600 to £29,000 under the plan to raise it incrementally to match the Skilled Worker threshold. The increase to £34,500 and then £38,700 was paused in 2024 pending a Migration Advisory Committee review. As of April 2026 the threshold remains £29,000 — but expect further rises; watch Home Office announcements if you're close to applying.

The £29,000 applies to:

• Partner/spouse applications (initial entry clearance and extensions)
• Fiancé(e) applications
• Unmarried partner applications after 2 years of cohabitation

It does not apply to:

• Parent of a British child (no income threshold, but adequate maintenance test instead)
• EU Settlement Scheme applications
• Adult Dependent Relative (different, harder test)
• Sponsors receiving certain disability benefits (see below)

The five income categories the Home Office accepts

Under Appendix FM-SE, income must fall into one of five categories:

1. Category A — Employment income from the same employer for 6+ months
2. Category B — Employment income from less than 6 months with a current employer, OR variable earnings
3. Category C — Non-employment income (rental, dividends, interest)
4. Category D — Cash savings of £88,500+ held for 6 months
5. Category E — Pension income
6. Category F/G — Self-employment (sole trader, limited company director)

Most applicants use a combination, typically Category A + Category D.

Category A — the simplest path

Requirement: Gross annual salary of £29,000 from a single UK employer you've been with for 6+ months.

Evidence:

• 6 months of payslips (originals or employer-stamped copies)
• 6 months of corresponding bank statements showing salary deposited
• Employer letter confirming start date, role, salary, contract type, hours
• Signed employment contract

Catches:

• Zero-hours contracts count only under Category B (variable earnings), not A.
• If salary increased within the 6 months, they use the lowest month × 12 as your annual figure.
• Probationary periods count as long as you're past them by the application date.

Category B — under 6 months or variable income

Harder test. You must show both:

1. Your current salary × 12 ≥ £29,000 (as evidenced by most recent payslip), and
2. Total gross income in the 12 months before application ≥ £29,000.

The 12-month look-back is the trap. If you've been unemployed, on reduced hours or between jobs in that year, you'll likely fail.

Category C — non-employment income

Includes:

• UK property rental (after agent fees, but gross of mortgage interest)
• Dividend income from shares (not your own limited company — that's Category F)
• Interest from savings accounts
• Maintenance payments received from ex-partners
• Academic stipends and maternity allowance

Evidence: 12 months of bank statements showing receipts, plus source documents (tenancy agreement, share certificate, SA302).

Category D — cash savings

Requirement: £88,500+ in cash savings held for 6+ months at time of application.

The formula is: £16,000 (Home Office buffer) + (£29,000 × 2.5) = £88,500.

Who holds it? Sponsor, applicant, or jointly. Cannot be held by parents, employers or "about to be transferred."

What counts as savings:

• UK or overseas bank current/savings accounts
• Stocks/shares (valued at lowest price in the 6-month period)
• Investment ISAs, pensions that are accessible without penalty

What does NOT count:

• Locked-in pensions
• Property equity (you'd need to sell first)
• Gifted money received in the last 6 months (gifts reset the 6-month clock)
• Cryptocurrency (explicitly excluded)

Mixing savings with income: You can combine. If you earn £20,000, the shortfall is £9,000. Required savings = £16,000 + (£9,000 × 2.5) = £38,500. Significantly lower than the pure-savings route.

Category F/G — self-employment

Two sub-categories:

• Category F — most recent full financial year's earnings meet threshold
• Category G — average of last two financial years' earnings meet threshold

Required evidence (sole trader):

• SA302s or tax year overviews from HMRC
• Self-assessment tax returns
• Business bank statements
• Proof of registration with HMRC and, if applicable, VAT and National Insurance
• Evidence of ongoing business activity (invoices, contracts)

Required evidence (limited company director, "Category F Director"):

• Full accounts (not abridged) for the financial year
• Corporation tax return (CT600)
• Personal self-assessment
• Company and personal bank statements
• Certificate of Incorporation
• Shareholder register

The limited-company route is the hardest Family visa evidence bundle. Directors also need to show that salary + dividends drawn personally total £29,000 — retained profits in the company don't count toward your personal threshold.

The six mistakes that refuse applications every week

1. Mixing payslip months. Six consecutive payslips, not six cherry-picked ones. A gap disqualifies Category A.
2. Salary paid in cash. Doesn't count. Bank deposits are mandatory.
3. Overseas income without evidence of continuation in the UK. If your £40,000 salary is from a US employer and you can't show it will continue in the UK, it doesn't count post-entry.
4. Savings deposited within 6 months. Large lump sums that appeared 5 months ago require a source trail (inheritance, sale of property) and still don't count unless held for the full 6 months.
5. Dividends from your own limited company claimed under Category C. Wrong category. Must go under F/G with full company accounts.
6. Adding together two sources that don't combine. You can mix Category A + D, but you can't mix Category B + F. Read Appendix FM-SE paragraph 9 carefully.

Exemptions — when £29,000 doesn't apply

If the sponsor receives any of the following, the income threshold is replaced by an "adequate maintenance" test (currently around £9,000/year after housing costs):

• Carer's Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance (any rate)
• Personal Independence Payment (any rate)
• Attendance Allowance
• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

If the sponsored applicant is a child and the other parent is already in the UK with status, adequate maintenance applies rather than £29,000.

What to do before you apply

1. Pick your category and stick to it. Don't try to hedge.
2. Pull bank statements early — many banks charge for more than 3 months' history.
3. If self-employed, file your self-assessment before applying, not after. The Home Office needs HMRC-stamped evidence.
4. Get your employer letter dated within 28 days of application submission.
5. If using savings, screenshot your balance the day after the 6-month window opens and again on application day.

See our Family visa guide for the full document list and application walkthrough. If you're unsure whether your income combination qualifies, the Home Office's own Family Life Appendix FM-SE is the definitive text — every refusal reason cites it by paragraph.