Mortgages for doctors
There are many perks and challenges to being a medical professional, but finding great mortgages for doctors shouldn’t be stressful or costly.
Some lenders offer benefits and exclusive deals for people who are in the medical profession, such as doctors, nurses, and hospital staff. Specialist mortgages for doctors can sometimes be offered at rates that aren’t always available to other borrowers.
There are also some challenges with getting mortgages for doctors such as complex income or multiple income sources.
We specialise in helping doctors and other medical staff to get the best mortgage rates more quickly and without added hassle. Our team of experts will compare the best deals and help you to get your mortgage application on track.
According to recent figures from statista.com there are over 350,000 doctors registered in the UK. The figure has increased dramatically since 2020 and is predicted to continue to grow with the increased demand and strain on the health service.
According to recent figures from statista.com there are over 350,000 doctors registered in the UK. The figure has increased dramatically since 2020
About mortgages for doctors
There are many different elements to getting a mortgage and doctors have other things to factor in as well.
If you consider that there are also many different types and levels of doctors as well as having potentially complex income sources. Some of the different types of doctors that we help includes:
- NHS doctors
- Self-employed doctors
- Locum doctors
- Junior doctors
- General practitioners (GP’s)
- Trainee doctors
- Surgeons
Some of the complex incomes that we can help with are:
- Temporary or fixed term contracts
- Self-employed (Limited Company or Sole Trader)
- Multiple income sources
- PAYE
- Newly qualified
Getting the best rates and deals on mortgages for doctors is one of the areas where we specialise and can help to relieve some of the stress.
Best mortgage lenders for doctors
There are around 100 mortgage lenders in the UK and 1,000’s of deals at any one time which can be extremely confusing.
We understand that it’s difficult enough to be a doctor so you don’t need the extra stress of trying to get a mortgage. Our experts have many years of expertise and expertise in helping doctors to find the best lenders and deals.
Our best mortgage lenders for doctors include:
- Accord Mortgages
- Barclays
- Halifax
- HSBC
- Natwest
- Newcastle Building Society
- Santander
- And more…
The best mortgage lender for you will be based on several different areas such as:
- Type of mortgage
- Mortgage deal
- Credit history
- Income and income structure
- Loan to Value (LTV)
We’ll help you to take the hassle out of getting your mortgage for doctors and help you to get the best rates from the right lenders.
Best mortgages for doctors
Getting the best mortgage and the right mortgage deal can be extremely frustrating, especially if you don’t have the time to spend hours searching.
There are several main options and your best options will depend on your circumstances and what you want. Some of the most common deals that we arrange for doctors are:
- Fixed rates for employed doctors
- Discount or tracker rates for employed doctors
- Fixed rates for self-employed doctors
- Discount or tracker rates for self-employed doctors
- Mortgages for doctors with bad credit
- Contractor mortgages for doctors
Some of the best mortgage deals for you and your circumstances will be very different to others who might have different income, credit history, or requirements (e.g. desired length of term or interest rate). If you are unsure of which mortgage is the most suitable deal, speak with a mortgage broker or adviser for impartial advice on what lender and mortgage type is best for you.
How does income work for doctors mortgages?
One of the biggest challenges when we’re dealing with mortgages for doctors is the sometimes complex nature of doctors pay.
As a doctor or medical professional, you will often have some elements to your income that can impact your ability to get a mortgage. This doesn’t mean that you’ll struggle to get a mortgage, it simply means that there may be lenders that are better for you than others.
Some of the main areas for doctors income are:
- Contract workers (short-term and long-term) is a common issue that we come across when speaking to doctors. It can be a favourable way for many doctors to work as it provides opportunities to work with much more flexibility. Unfortunately, from a mortgage perspective this can add some potential problems as there is seen to be less security for income. That being said, there are some lenders that are particularly good in this area and especially for doctors and other professionals
- Student loans and debts from qualifying is also extremely common and especially among junior or trainee doctors. The cost of qualifying to become a doctor can be eye watering and especially for those who have to fund it themselves. There will be certain considerations for lenders when assessing affordability including any repayments of student loans or debts
- Multiple income sources for doctors can make assessing affordability for income and expenditure more complicated. It’s not unusual for doctors to work for private practices as well as for the NHS which can create added complications for mortgage lenders. There may also be a mixture of PAYE, salary, and dividend payments to consider
- Relocating for jobs or contracts does happen regularly in the medical profession and especially for certain types of doctors. This can have a detrimental impact on your credit score if there are multiple address and electoral registrations. Being able to explain the circumstances to lenders can make a major difference in your ability to get a mortgage
Our team of experts understand all of these elements and can direct you towards the best lenders for you.
Mortgage advice for doctors
We understand how difficult it can be working as a doctor and the extremely long hours that doctors work.
Getting the right mortgage advice for doctors can make a major difference to your ability to get a loan approved. It can also take a lot of the stress and hassle out of the process of applying for a mortgage.
An experienced doctors mortgage advisor will understand the complexities that you will have and your circumstances. They will be able to source all the relevant information you need for mortgages based on your particular needs.
You should make sure that you are dealing with someone with the relevant expertise before you get mortgage advice for doctors. This process can very quickly turn in to a bit of a nightmare if speaking to the wrong person and waste your time, which you probably can’t afford to happen.
To start your research, you can CLICK HERE for some general information about how the mortgage application process works.
Mortgages for NHS doctors
One of the most simple and most common areas we deal with is mortgages for NHS doctors which is where most doctors come under.
In our experience, an NHS doctor will usually have a more stable and simple income that allows us to look at more options. Some of the benefits of being an NHS doctor from a mortgage perspective are:
- Regular pay
- Income history
- Stability
- Simple pay structure (usually)
It is often the case that this type of mortgage application can be very similar to a standard case with no complications.
There is also the other point that you may be employed by the NHS as your main source of income, but self-employed or employed elsewhere on a adhoc basis.
Mortgage for trainee doctor
Once you have taken the initial steps to becoming a qualified doctor, it is likely that at some point you may want to step on to the property ladder.
Often we speak to trainee doctors who are several years in to their training period and happy to commit to a mortgage. We understand that qualifying to become a doctor can take several years and has many levels or stages.
It is usual to be in a position to be able to apply for a mortgage for trainee doctors, especially towards the end of the training process.
There are just a few extra points to consider for trainee doctor mortgages:
- Lower income (trainee salary)
- Student loans
- Income not always guaranteed
- Unqualified professional
- Shorter employment history
Mortgages for self employed doctors
Many doctors will at some point in their careers work on a self employed basis for a period of time or permanently.
Getting mortgages for self employed doctors can be slightly more complicated than for those that are employed. This isn’t always the case though and any doctors with over 3 years accounts and good credit history should be absolutely fine.
Some of the key points to consider with mortgages for self employed doctors are:
- Three years accounts is the normal requirement for any standard mortgage application for self employed people
- Less than three years accounts is possible but your options may be more limited and you might pay a higher rate
- Accountant certificate can be an issue for some if you don’t have a regular accountant or you have recently changed accountant
- Credit history might be slightly more up and down for some doctors that are self employed if there have been periods with no income
- Deposit requirements can be higher for people who are self employed because of the perceived lower levels of security for the lender
We specialise in finding mortgages for self employed doctors and making sure that you get the best rates for you.
For information on self-employed mortgages CLICK HERE.
For information on how to evidence self-employed income to lenders CLICK HERE.
Mortgages for junior doctors
As a junior or newly qualified doctor, you might have similar challenges to trainee doctors in the latter stages of training.
You might be in a junior doctor role either for the NHS or working on a contract basis to get more experience. Often junior doctors will be on a lower salary or not have permanent employment.
If you have recently qualified and you want to consider getting a mortgage then you might not be able to borrow as much in the earlier years. Once you have got experience and generally your salary would increase, then so does your ability to borrow more money.
It might be worth considering an interim property move or more of an investment property through this period.
Mortgages for locum doctors
One of the main elements that we have to consider when getting mortgages for locum doctors, is the varied income and employment history.
This can be quite similar to self employed doctors where employment history may be unpredictable and potentially extended periods of no income. There are many advantages to locum work, however this may cause some complications when applying for a mortgage.
It may be that your options are slightly more limited to full time or employed doctors, however, there are lenders who specialise in this. Locum work is fairly common in the medical profession and therefore it’s not unusual.
Some key areas for mortgages for locum doctors:
- How long have you been working as a locum?
- Do you have good or bad credit history?
- Have you got up to date accounts (if self employed)?
- Can you provide proof of income?
You might find that your mortgage rates are slightly higher in some circumstances but we’ll help you to find the best deals.
Mortgage specialists for medical professionals
As a medical professional, we appreciate that your time is precious and how important service can be.
There are also potential challenges to applying for a mortgage as a medical professional which is an area where we specialise. There’s nothing worse than paying more than you should or wasting your time on bad advice.
You will need someone that understands exactly what you need and how mortgages work for medical staff. Speak to a mortgage specialist for expert advice on the best mortgage types and lenders for doctors. You can even check advice for doctors mortgages online through experienced advisers such as us.
essential MORTGAGES is authorised and regulated by the financial conduct authority, so you can be sure that you are in safe hands with our team of independent specialists.
Useful resources
Citizen’s Advice – Buying a home
Gov.uk – Affordable home ownership schemes