Do Bank Holidays & Weekend Shifts Count in Mortgage Affordability?

If you’re thinking about getting a mortgage while working bank holidays, overtime or weekend shifts, you might be wondering if lenders will count this additional income. It’s quite a complex scenario that often requires professional insight to answer.

In this article, we’ll explain how UK mortgage lenders treat weekend pay, bank holiday shifts, overtime, agency work and other variable earnings, and how our team at WIS Mortgages can help you explore borrowing options based on your full income profile, subject to lender criteria.

Key Takeaways

• Bank holiday pay, weekend shifts and overtime can be included in mortgage affordability, but not all lenders treat them the same way.
• Some lenders count 100% of variable income, while others only accept 50% or ignore it entirely.
• Lenders prefer extra income that is regular, proven, and evidenced over several months or years.
• Shift-based workers such as NHS staff, retail workers, care workers, hospitality staff, emergency services and delivery drivers often benefit from using a mortgage broker.
• WIS Mortgages specialises in helping applicants whose income includes enhancements, bonuses or irregular pay, and can match you with lenders who assess your earnings fairly.

How Do Mortgage Lenders Assess Income?

The main hurdle to overcome when trying to secure a mortgage while using variable income is convincing lenders to let you borrow what you need. Most lenders separate your pay into two categories, which include:

• Basic Salary: Lenders view your basic salary in its entirety, counting 100 % towards your application.
• Additional Income: Supplementary income like bank holiday shifts, overtime, bonuses and agency work will be viewed differently based on the lender. Expect lenders to count anywhere from 0 to 100 % of this income based on how regular it is and their internal policies.

For example, if someone has worked regular weekend shifts for more than two years, a lender is far more likely to accept that income than if someone only takes the occasional bank holiday shift.

Our mortgage affordability calculator provides an indicative estimate and should not be relied on as a definitive affordability assessment. For tailored advice, speak to a qualified mortgage adviser.

Do Bank Holiday Shifts Count?

Working on bank holidays is often a great way to earn more and save, which is really important when looking to secure a mortgage. However, with enhanced pay through variable shifts, mortgage affordability is assessed differently by each lender. Some lenders will have criteria that treat bank holiday pay as either beyond the shift allowance or as enhanced pay. They may count none, some or all of it.

If bank holiday shifts are part of your regular rota (e.g. NHS staff, police, carers, hospitality workers), you’re more likely to have that income accepted.

This is where WIS Mortgages can help. Some lenders understand these pay structures, while others don’t. The right one can make thousands of pounds of difference to your borrowing ability.

Do Weekend Shifts Count?

Weekend pay is treated similarly to bank holiday pay. Whether this type of unsociable hours pay is included as part of your affordability assessment depends on:

• How consistent it is
• Whether it shows on every payslip
• How long you’ve received it (usually 3 to 12 months minimum required)
• Whether your contract includes weekend work or it’s optional overtime

For example:

At WIS Mortgages, depending on circumstances, we can help weekend workers secure mortgages based on their full income, not just their basic salary.

How is Overtime Treated in Mortgage Affordability?

Overtime is one of the most common forms of additional income, but again, lenders vary on how they treat it. In cases of contracted overtime, lenders will likely count 100 % of it. However, for regular overtime, they may only accept 50 to 100 %, while occasional overtime may be ignored completely. This depends on how the lender handles income verification and affordably assessment stages of the application.

Most lenders will want to see 3 to 6 months of payslips, but some require 2 years of overtime history if it’s variable. Due to the variable nature of the income and how lenders view it, it is really useful to have professional mortgage advice to support your next decision.

What About Agency, Bank or Zero-Hour Shifts?

Many industries rely on flexible workers, ranging from NHS bank staff to supply teachers. Some lenders are cautious with agency or zero-hour workers, but others are more flexible, especially if you can show more than 12 months of steady income.

This is exactly why a broker matters. Where eligible, our team at WIS Mortgages can approach lenders who are familiar with income outside traditional 9 to 5 contracts.

Case Study: Late Nights, Weekend and Bank Holidays in Healthcare

At WIS Mortgages, we are quite confident in our ability to guide our clients towards the best mortgage for their needs (subject to lender criteria). In one case, we were helping a single mother find a mortgage, but her working situation was complicated. She would regularly pick up late-night and weekend shifts while working in healthcare, as well as bank holidays, to boost her income.

Although she had been working with the same employer for over a year, she had only changed her shift pattern to include unsocial hours over the past 6 months. This was another challenge, as most lenders want to see at least a year of consistent additional income for affordability assessments. Due to this, her bank refused her mortgage application.

Complicating matters further, the property she wanted to buy was the one she was already living in, being sold privately at a discount. Losing it would mean relocating her daughter away from school and childcare independence.

To find a workable solution, we leveraged our relationship with the lender and requested a policy exception before submitting the mortgage application. We demonstrated that although the uplifted income was only six months old, the client had:

• A confirmed ongoing contract
• A clear earnings trend
• A strong reason to maintain the extra hours (her child was now old enough to stay home independently)

In this case, we were able to present a strong application that led the lender to consider an exception. While such outcomes depend entirely on lender policies and circumstances, our understanding of the criteria helped structure the application effectively.

So, even when a client doesn’t strictly meet policy criteria, our work can negotiate exceptions – especially where there is evidence of ongoing affordability and a strong rationale.

Frequently Asked Questions

A. Counting bank holiday pay as part of a mortgage application is not always a guarantee. It depends on the lender, how regular the income is, and whether it appears consistently on your payslips.

A. Weekend and night pay might be able to increase how much you can borrow. However, this only works if the lender counts it. If not, your affordability will be based only on your basic salary.

A. Many lenders are NHS-friendly and will count overtime, enhancements, and bank shifts, but not all do. A broker can help find the right one or discuss alternative options such as NHS mortgages.

A. Most lenders require at least 3 to 6 months’ evidence for weekend and bank holiday pay. With that said, some prefer 12+ months for variable income, so make sure you check out the lender’s specific rules on this.

A. Yes, people on zero-hour contracts and agency workers can get a mortgage. However, you need the right lender, and strong proof of consistent income.

Find a Mortgage That Suits You WIS Mortgages

Bank holiday pay, weekend shifts and overtime can be used in mortgage affordability, but only if the lender accepts it, and every lender has different rules. If your income varies or includes enhancements, choosing the right lender is so important. To make sure you find the right mortgage for your situation, specialist advice makes a real difference.

If your income includes weekend shifts, bank holiday work, overtime or other variable pay, WIS Mortgages can help you find a lender who will assess your earnings fairly. Please reach out to us today to discuss your needs with us.

Important FCA Warning

As a mortgage is secured against your home, it may be repossessed if you do not keep up the mortgage repayments. Written by the mortgage experts at WIS Mortgages, specialists in complex income and affordability assessments.

WIS Mortgages is a trading name of WIS Contractor Mortgages Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FCA number: 824411.

This article is for information purposes and does not constitute personal mortgage advice. You should speak to a qualified mortgage adviser to assess your individual circumstances.