As a foster carer, you provide a stable, loving environment for children who need it most. But when it comes to getting a mortgage, many carers find themselves unfairly penalised—often because their income doesn’t “fit the mould.”
At Mortgage Knight, we believe in rewarding care, not rejecting it. That’s why we work with foster-friendly mortgage lenders who accept fostering income—even when other banks won’t.
Whether you’re buying your first home, moving to a larger property, or remortgaging, we’ll help you make your fostering income work in your favour.
Traditional banks and lenders often misunderstand how fostering income works. The main challenges include:
This leads many foster carers to be unfairly turned down, even when they have a solid track record of income and responsible finances.
We specialise in Foster Carer Mortgages and know exactly which lenders:
We’ll help package your case professionally so it’s easy for underwriters to say yes.
Most lenders will ask for:
We’ll help gather and present this information clearly—so you don’t waste time or face frustrating rejections.
Yes, in many cases you can. Some lenders will allow 100% of your fostering income to be used for affordability purposes—even if it’s tax-free or doesn’t show on your SA302s.
If you have additional income from part-time work, universal credit, or a partner, we can combine that too for a stronger application.
Status: Lisa had been fostering full-time for 2 years, working through a private fostering agency. Her income was consistent, but tax-free, and her bank wouldn’t consider it for a mortgage.
Challenge: We approached a lender who accepted 100% of her agency fostering income, using her remittance slips. She was approved for a £175,000 mortgage with just a 10% deposit.
Solution: Lisa bought a larger home with an extra bedroom—perfect for future placements.
Status: This couple had fostered for over 5 years but were struggling to remortgage to fund a home extension. Their lender refused because the majority of income came from fostering.
Challenge: We matched them with a lender who specialised in fostering families. Their full income was accepted, and they raised an extra £40,000 for home improvements.
Solution: They now have a dedicated space for foster children, including a therapy room.
Status: Michelle had been fostering for 9 months and wanted to buy a small home of her own. Her part-time retail job wasn’t enough to qualify on its own.
Challenge: We used a combination of her fostering income and part-time wages, and presented her 6-month fostering history with a letter from the local authority.
Solution: She secured a £120,000 mortgage with a 5% deposit through a specialist lender.
A: Yes. Some lenders accept 100% of your fostering income—even if it’s tax-free or irregular.
A: Ideally 6–12 months, but some lenders are flexible with less, depending on your full situation.
A: Not necessarily. We can use agency statements, remittance slips, and letters from your fostering provider to evidence income.
A: Yes. Some lenders offer mortgages to foster carers with just a 5% deposit, depending on your credit score and income.
A: Definitely. We help many fostering families remortgage to extend or adapt their homes.
The team made everything easy, even with my complicated income. I'd been turned away before, but not here.
