Self employed mortgage broker commission splits and the real cost of support

When you compare self-employed mortgage broker opportunities, the commission percentage is usually the first number you notice. What is less obvious is how much you will spend, or how much of your own time you will use, to run the business around it.

That includes progressing cases, maintaining a website, keeping social media active, making videos and finding your next client. To judge a proposition properly, compare what you keep after those costs and what support you receive in return.

TLDR

What does a mortgage broker commission split actually include

A commission split describes how revenue is shared between an adviser and a firm or network. It does not tell you the full cost of operating your business.

Ask what the percentage applies to. Mortgage procuration fees, client fees and protection commission may have different arrangements. Establish whether your share is calculated from gross receipts or after another deduction, and whether your own enquiries and firm-provided leads receive different treatment.

Then request the full charges: joining, monthly subscriptions, training, software, file checking, per-case support and leaving. A clearly disclosed fee may be good value. The problem is comparing percentages before you know what sits underneath them.

What could website and marketing support cost a mortgage broker

A website needs attention after it launches. Your pages need to explain who you help, your content needs to stay accurate and prospective clients need a clear way to contact you. Search engine optimisation, or SEO, is another ongoing task.

Social media involves planning, writing, creating and publishing content. Videos add preparation and editing. You may also need someone to help decide which activities deserve your time and budget.

Here is a small-business budget using published supplier prices checked on 24 October 2026. These are examples of separately purchased services, not UK averages or a valuation of the WIS package.

The video price is for editing supplied footage, rather than a filming crew. Website creation is a separate one-off requirement, not included in this upkeep budget. Prices exclude additional VAT where charged. Supplier scopes differ, so check your own quotes and remove overlapping services before adding them together.

We have not added a separate marketing consultant fee because planning or guidance may already be included in an agency package. If you need additional consultancy, include the actual quote. Counting the same work twice would distort the comparison.

How much does mortgage administration support cost

If you hire an administrator on a £30,000 salary, that is £2,500 a month in salary alone. Employer costs, equipment, recruitment and cover can add to that. A recent UK-wide senior mortgage administrator vacancy advertised £30,000-£35,000 [4]. This supports using £30,000 as an example, rather than treating it as a minimum for every role.

A growing adviser may initially need part-time or outsourced help. For the comparison below, we have budgeted 10 hours a week at an assumed £30 an hour for 52 weeks: £15,600 a year. This is a planning assumption, not a supplier quotation or a measure of the support WIS allocates to each adviser.

Check what the hours actually cover. Administration, product research and paraplanning are different services. Someone chasing documents will not necessarily research lenders or prepare suitability letters.

Can a lower commission split leave you with more after costs

It can, depending on your revenue and the support you need. Consider two hypothetical packages for an adviser generating £100,000 a year, with all revenue subject to one split.

Package A lets the adviser keep 85%, with the separate costs below. Package B lets the adviser keep 80%, with the required support included under its commission arrangement. The 80% example is aimed at experienced, productive advisers; it is not a universal WIS rate or an offer to every applicant. Actual terms depend on the written agreement. Package A does not describe a named competitor.

For WIS, the agreed core arrangement includes administration, paraplanning, application submission and marketing support, rather than routine additional per-case charges for those agreed services. Paid advertising is additional, and support-fee recovery conditions are explained below. The calculation assumes those conditions are met and no recovery charge arises.

In this example, the 80% supported package leaves £22,528 more a year after the listed costs, equivalent to about £1,877 a month. The five percentage points given up cost £5,000 on £100,000 of gross revenue, while the separate costs avoided total £27,528.

Your result may be different. If you already have an efficient team, need less support or generate substantially more revenue, a higher split may work better. Repeat the calculation using your own figures, the actual commission schedule and comparable service levels.

The example excludes VAT, tax, clawbacks, advertising spend, website creation and other business expenses. It assumes the same revenue in both packages and does not assume that support creates additional sales. Shared support is not automatically equivalent to dedicated staff or a particular agency package.

At what revenue does an 85 per cent split overtake an 80 per cent package

Using the same assumptions, the break-even point is £550,560 of annual gross revenue. The extra 5% retained under the 85% package then equals the £27,528 of separate annual costs.

Break-even gross revenue = difference in annual operating costs ÷ difference in retention rate

£27,528 ÷ (0.85 – 0.80) = £550,560

The operating costs in this formula are the separate costs being compared, after removing any costs common to both packages.

Below that figure, the 80% supported package leaves more after the listed costs. Above it, the 85% package leaves more on this cash calculation, provided both packages continue to deliver the required support and the cost assumptions remain unchanged.

This is a model, not a universal threshold. Admin and marketing needs may rise with case volume, and commission terms may change. If the annual cost difference were only £10,000, the same formula would give a £200,000 break-even point. Use your actual costs and compare the same scope of service. The rekeying hours below are not added to the cash savings.

The time cost of entering the same client information twice

A broker who recently joined WIS told me she had been copying client information from her CRM into a separate billing system that also handled suitability documentation. She estimated that it took another hour per case.

At around 15 cases a month, that is 15 hours spent rekeying information. Over 12 months at the same volume, it would be 180 hours, or 24 working days of 7.5 hours.

This is her estimate, rather than an independently measured saving. But it is a useful question to ask when viewing any system: how many times will I have to enter the same information?

We have kept that time separate from the cash comparison. It would be misleading to count all 180 hours as extra earnings, or add them as another cost where paid administration already covers the work.

What support does WIS include for self employed mortgage advisers

WIS is a directly authorised mortgage firm. Our Registered Individual proposition brings case support, technology and marketing together within the agreed commission arrangement.

Administration and paraplanning

Our team supports product research, document collection, application preparation and submission, lender and solicitor chasing, file preparation and checking, and suitability letter drafting. Advisers review recommendations and remain responsible for their advice within the firm’s procedures.

Website creation and ongoing support

We help advisers build and look after their website presence, including content and search optimisation support. This gives them practical help with work they would otherwise need to manage themselves or commission separately.

Managed social media and video support

We help plan, create and manage social media content. We also help advisers prepare videos and edit them for publication. The support goes beyond giving someone a folder of templates and expecting them to do the rest.

Marketing guidance and delivery

We help with content, newsletters and marketing activity around the adviser’s business. The aim is to keep business development moving while client cases are being progressed. Advertising spend for lead-generation campaigns is additional.

Connected technology and training

Our technology is designed to simplify the journey from onboarding to completion, reduce repeated data entry and support document handling and case communication. It works alongside our administration and paraplanning teams, with training to help advisers use it. Information and AI-assisted outputs still require appropriate checks.

There is no upfront joining fee or separate routine monthly subscription for the agreed core package. The RI terms provide for recovery of a £2,400 annual support fee if the agreed minimum of 24 qualifying mortgage or protection cases per year is not achieved, or if an adviser leaves within the first 12 months. The agreement sets out how qualifying cases and recovery are assessed. Advertising spend is additional. We explain the scope and conditions before an adviser joins.

The value is in the work delivered and the capacity it creates for your business. Ask us to show you the workflow and talk through the marketing support you would actually use.

What else should you check before joining a mortgage firm

Lender access matters if you work with specialist clients. Check the routes available for your usual cases and any restrictions on the business you can handle.

For protection, ask whether quotations use loaded or non-loaded premiums and compare equivalent cover. The FCA describes loaded premiums as arrangements where part of the commission is explicitly added to the premium [5]. Do not judge a protection proposition by adviser commission alone.

Also check the policy on charging clients a broker fee. Mandatory charges may affect your proposition for price-sensitive clients, while fees can legitimately reflect the work involved. Understand the discretion available and how value is explained.

Frequently asked questions

Is an 85 per cent mortgage broker commission split a good deal

It can be. Check the income it applies to, the deductions, the support included and the services you would buy separately. At £100,000 of relevant revenue, an 85% share is £85,000 before additional costs and tax.

When is an 80 per cent supported package better than 85 per cent

When the separate costs avoided exceed the extra 5% of revenue you would retain. On £100,000 of relevant revenue, that difference is £5,000. In this article’s example, the separate costs are £27,528, so the supported 80% package leaves £22,528 more after those costs.

What is the break even point between 80 and 85 per cent

With a £27,528 difference in annual separate costs, it is £550,560 of annual gross revenue. Divide your own annual cost difference by 0.05 to compare 80% against 85%. The result changes if costs, revenue treatment or service scope change.

Do I have to pay separately for social media and a website

That depends on the firm. Some packages include these services; others provide templates or leave delivery to the adviser. WIS includes website and managed social media support within its agreed proposition. Confirm the scope and frequency before joining.

Can I grow without employing my own administrator

Shared administration and paraplanning can help you handle more work without immediately recruiting staff. Check availability, responsibilities and turnaround times. The right arrangement depends on your case mix and workload.

How should I compare two self employed mortgage broker offers

Use the same annual revenue forecast for both. Apply each actual commission schedule, subtract the separate costs you expect to incur and compare the support delivered. Review payment timing, clawbacks and exit terms as well.

Does WIS provide website SEO and video support

Yes. The agreed package includes website and search optimisation support, managed social media and help with videos and editing. These services support marketing activity, but do not guarantee rankings, enquiries or earnings.

Contact Us

Compare the full package for your business

Wondering what you would retain after costs under a supported model? Send us your typical monthly case volume, current commission split and support costs. We can use a confidential 15-minute conversation to compare the figures side by side and explain the WIS terms available to you.

Request your confidential 15 minute comparison

Sources and calculation notes

Supplier examples and salary evidence were checked on 24 October 2026. Prices and availability can change. The budget is an illustration, not an industry average, an earnings forecast or a like-for-like valuation of WIS support.

[1] Mediatopia website care pricing

[2] BuzzGen social media and SEO pricing

[3] The Nexablack video editing pricing

[4] Campbell Financial senior mortgage administrator vacancy

[5] FCA pure protection market study final report