For a UK mortgage decision in principle (DIP), lenders usually assess your income, regular spending, existing financial commitments and credit history. Most lenders also perform a credit search, but it may be a soft search or a hard search. Identity, address and source-of-funds documents can be requested during the wider transaction, although they are not necessarily part of every lender’s initial DIP questionnaire.
A DIP is an early estimate of the amount a lender may be prepared to lend. It helps you set a realistic viewing budget and may reassure a seller that you have considered financing. It is not a formal mortgage offer, does not guarantee approval and does not commit you to borrowing from that lender. The full application can produce a different result after detailed evidence, property checks and the lender’s final criteria are applied.
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What a mortgage decision in principle actually tells you
A decision in principle is based on information available at an early stage. The lender uses it to estimate whether the proposed borrowing appears affordable and, if so, the approximate maximum it might lend. It is also called an agreement in principle or mortgage in principle.
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The result is conditional. A lender can change its view when it verifies your income, checks your expenditure in more detail, assesses the property or applies its full underwriting rules. Government guidance on buying a home warns that a DIP should not be treated as a commitment to take the mortgage from that lender. Read the explanation from GOV.UK’s home-buying guidance.
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There is no single UK checklist that every lender must use for every applicant. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) says firms have discretion over what information is sufficient for an individual creditworthiness assessment. That is why two lenders can ask different questions while assessing the same household.
The main information lenders may check
| Area | What may be requested | Why it matters | How much it varies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and employment | Salary, employment details and evidence such as payslips or a P60; self-employed applicants may be asked for tax returns and related records. | To estimate borrowing capacity and whether the projected payment is affordable. | High: document type, number of periods and treatment of different income sources vary. |
| Outgoings | Regular household spending and recurring bills, sometimes supported by additional evidence. | To calculate what remains after normal living costs. | High: lenders decide what information is sufficient for the case. |
| Committed expenditure | Credit commitments, secured or unsecured loans, hire purchase, child maintenance and alimony. | These payments reduce disposable income available for the mortgage. | Medium: the categories are recognised in FCA guidance, but questions and evidence differ. |
| Credit search and history | A soft or hard credit enquiry and information from your credit file. | To assess creditworthiness and identify relevant borrowing or repayment history. | High: search type and internal lending criteria are lender-specific. |
| Identity, address and funds | Identity documents, proof of address and evidence showing where a deposit or other funds came from. | To meet anti-money-laundering and fraud-prevention requirements and verify the transaction. | High at DIP stage: these checks may occur later, during the full application or conveyancing process. |
Income and employment information
Employees
Lenders normally need your income figure, employer or employment status and enough detail to judge whether the income is dependable. The documents used to verify it depend on the lender and your circumstances. Government guidance lists payslips and a P60 as possible evidence. The FCA’s consumer explanation puts the basic requirement plainly: “You will need to give your mortgage lender evidence of your income.” See the FCA’s “MMR: Getting a mortgage rules that affect you” guidance.
Some lenders ask for recent payslips, while others request additional salary history or employer information. Do not assume that one payslip count, a particular format or a particular period is accepted everywhere. Have your current documents available, but follow the exact request made by the lender or adviser.
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If you run a business, work as a contractor or receive income through a company, the lender may need tax returns and related business records. The number of years, accounts and tax documents requested is not universal. A lender may also distinguish between personal drawings, declared profit and other income shown in your records.
Give figures exactly as requested and explain the basis of each figure. Do not increase an estimate because a higher number would produce a larger DIP; the full application will require evidence and an inconsistency can delay or derail the assessment.
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Bonuses, overtime, commission and benefits
The available guidance does not establish one UK-wide rule for how bonuses, overtime, commission, benefits or other irregular income must be treated. One lender may count some or all of a variable payment after seeing a history; another may use a different method or exclude it. Ask the lender or adviser what evidence is needed for your particular income rather than assuming that an allowance will be included.
Outgoings and committed expenditure
Affordability is not based on salary alone. Lenders may ask about household spending and regular commitments to estimate the payment you can sustain. FCA mortgage-conduct guidance gives examples of committed expenditure including secured and unsecured credit commitments, hire purchase, child maintenance and alimony. The relevant rules are in MCOB 11 in the FCA Handbook.
List every ongoing commitment accurately. A car-finance payment, personal loan, credit-card repayment or maintenance order can reduce the amount a lender considers affordable even when the account is well managed. Omitting a commitment does not make it disappear; it creates a discrepancy when the lender later verifies your finances.
Mortgage affordability also has to reflect the effect of likely future interest-rate increases. A payment that fits your budget at the initial rate may be tested against a higher-rate scenario in the lender’s assessment. The FCA’s responsible-lending material explains this requirement, while allowing firms discretion over the evidence they use.
That discretion means you should not assume every lender will request bank statements for a DIP, inspect every transaction in the same way or apply an identical affordability formula. The FCA discusses these misunderstandings at Creditworthiness and affordability: common misunderstandings.
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Credit searches and your credit history
GOV.UK says the majority of mortgage lenders carry out a credit search when producing a DIP. The enquiry can be:
- Soft search: used for an initial indication and normally not visible to other lenders as a borrowing application or damaging to your credit score.
- Hard search: recorded as a formal credit application and capable of affecting your score, particularly if several are made over a short period.
Practices differ, so ask the lender or broker which type will be run before you submit the request. If you are comparing several lenders, find out whether an eligibility or quotation process is available and avoid making repeated hard applications without understanding the effect.
There is no universal minimum credit score that guarantees a DIP or a mortgage. Lenders use their own policies and the information available to them. A strong score cannot overcome unaffordable commitments, unverifiable income or a property that fails the lender’s criteria, and a particular score does not guarantee acceptance.
How closely are bank statements checked?
There is no standard answer for every DIP. A lender may obtain the information it considers necessary for an affordability assessment, but FCA rules do not prescribe one universal bank-statement checklist. Some lenders may ask for statements at the preliminary stage; others may rely on declared figures initially and request fuller evidence at application or underwriting.
If statements are requested, expect the lender to look for information relevant to income, regular commitments and affordability rather than a single “acceptable” spending pattern. Explain unusual credits, transfers or one-off payments when asked, and ensure the figures in the DIP match the evidence you later provide. The safest approach is to ask exactly which periods and accounts are required.
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Identity, address and source of funds
Mortgage lenders and other parties involved in the transaction must carry out identity checks to help prevent money laundering and fraud. Possible identity evidence includes a passport, driving licence or qualifying identity card. Proof of address may include a bank or credit-card statement or a recent utility bill.
You may also need to show where your deposit or other purchase funds came from. Examples include personal savings, an inheritance, a family gift or proceeds from selling another property. The evidence could be a savings history, estate documentation, a gift declaration or completion statement, depending on the source.
These documents are not automatically part of every initial DIP. They can be requested at different points by the lender, broker, conveyancer or another party, so keep them accessible even if the first online form does not ask for them.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What happens when you apply for the DIP
- Set your budget. Work out your deposit, likely purchase costs and a payment you could manage if rates rise. A lender’s maximum is not the same as a sensible household budget.
- Gather accurate figures. Record gross and take-home income as requested, regular spending, every credit commitment and the source of your deposit. Use current information rather than an optimistic forecast.
- Check the credit-search type. Before submitting, ask whether the lender will perform a soft or hard enquiry and whether the result can be obtained without a full application.
- Complete the lender’s questions. Supply employment, income, outgoings and household details in the format requested. If a category does not apply, say so rather than leaving an ambiguous answer.
- Review the result. Note the estimated borrowing, any conditions, the date of the decision and how long the lender says it remains usable. Validity periods differ, so confirm the lender’s own terms.
- Keep the information consistent. If your income, commitments or circumstances change before the full application, tell the lender or adviser. The later assessment relies on verified information.
How to compare decisions in principle
The headline borrowing figure is only one comparison point. Use the following questions when considering DIPs from different lenders:
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| Comparison point | Question to ask | Why it affects your choice |
|---|---|---|
| Credit enquiry | Is the DIP based on a soft or hard search? | A hard enquiry can affect your credit file, especially alongside other recent applications. |
| Information required | Which income, spending and commitment details are needed now, and which will be verified later? | A clear process helps you avoid surprises and delays. |
| Affordability method | How are variable income and existing commitments treated? | The same household figures can produce different borrowing estimates. |
| Validity | How long can the result be used under this lender’s terms? | A DIP may need to be refreshed if your property search or transaction takes longer. |
Confirm each answer directly with the lender or an adviser. The sources establish variation in search type and lender discretion, not a universal validity period or evidence list.
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What changes at the full mortgage application
The full application is more detailed than the initial DIP. The lender can request supporting income and expenditure evidence, verify the information you supplied and conduct its complete affordability and creditworthiness assessment. It also assesses the property and applies its own lending criteria before issuing a mortgage offer.
A DIP therefore helps you plan and make an offer, but it does not remove the need for underwriting. A different result can arise if documents do not support the original figures, a commitment was missed, your circumstances changed, the property is unsuitable security or the lender’s final criteria are not met.
Preparation checklist
- Have recent income evidence and your P60 available if employed; gather relevant tax returns and business records if self-employed.
- Write down every loan, credit agreement, hire-purchase contract, maintenance payment and other recurring commitment.
- Separate regular household spending from one-off costs so you can answer the lender’s questions consistently.
- Ask whether the credit enquiry is soft or hard before submitting the DIP.
- Keep identity, address and deposit-source documents ready for the stage at which they are requested.
- Check the stated validity period and save the DIP reference or confirmation.
- Tell the lender or adviser about material changes before the full application.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Assuming the largest figure is affordable
The lender’s estimate reflects its model, not your complete financial priorities. Leave room for rate changes, maintenance, insurance, utilities and other ownership costs when setting your own ceiling.
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Multiple hard enquiries can affect your credit profile. Compare search policies first and use a lender or adviser that can explain the consequences of each submission.
Guessing or omitting figures
Understating spending or leaving out a commitment may produce an attractive preliminary result but creates problems when evidence is checked. Accurate information is more useful than a higher estimate that cannot be supported.
Treating one lender’s document list as universal
Requirements vary by lender, applicant and stage. Use the list supplied for your case and confirm whether a requested document is needed for the DIP, the full application or another transaction check.
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