The Home Office – the UK government’s lead department for immigration, border security, policing, and counter-terrorism -allows you to combine various income sources to meet the £29,000 gross income requirement. This flexibility provides valuable support to many couples trying to fulfil the financial criteria, especially when a single income type doesn’t quite make the cut.

What types of income are accepted?

Income can come from the following sources:

1. Salaried employment income – Regular salary from your employer.
2. Self-employment income – Income from your sponsor’s business or freelance work.
3. Cash savings – Money held in bank accounts (only amounts above £16,000 count, divided by 2.5).
4. Rental income – From properties anywhere in the world.
5. Pension income – State pension or private/occupational pensions.
6. Dividend income – From stocks and shares.
7. Interest income – From savings accounts.
8. Maintenance payments – Regular support payments received.

Which income types can be combined?

There are several ways to meet the gross income requirement:

1. Salaried employment + Cash savings (most common).
2. Salaried employment + Rental income.
3. Salaried employment + Pension income.
4. Self-employment + Cash savings.
5. Self-employment + Rental income.
6. Pension + Cash savings.
7. Rental income + Dividend income + Cash savings.
8. Salaried employment + Rental income + Dividend income + Cash savings.

Practical examples (in UK currency)

Example 1: Your sponsor earns £22,000 salary + you have £33,500 in savings = Meets £29,000.

Example 2: Your sponsor earns £20,000 salary + receives £9,500 rental income from UK property = £29,500.

Example 3: Your sponsor receives £9,000 state pension + earns £12,000 part-time + you have £36,000 in savings = Meets £29,000.

Important rules when combining income

• All income must be proven with official documents (bank statements, payslips, tax returns).
• Savings must be held continuously for 6 months minimum and can be in your individual or joint names.
• Foreign income/savings must be converted to GBP using OANDA rates on application date.
• Different categories require different evidence (6 months for employment, 12 months for self-employment).
• Only the British sponsor’s salaried income is considered. The only situation where the Applicant’s salary is considered is where they are already employed in the UK under a valid work visa category.

Most refusals occur due to: incorrect savings calculations, missing documentation, currency conversion errors, or not meeting the 6-month savings requirement.

*All GBP (Great British Pound) amounts can be converted to Canadian dollars using the official OANDA exchange rates.

Get more information and legal help 

The financial threshold is subject to change without notice. For further information if you need to combine multiple income sources to sponsor your partner for a UK Spouse Visa, contact Sterling Immigration Ltd.

								
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