Commission-based earners get a rougher ride from high-street lenders than salaried applicants do, and 2026 hasn't changed that. This guide ranks the lender types and the broker route that actually work for variable, commission-heavy income, so you know where to start before you waste an application on a lender that will average your figures the wrong way.
- Nationwide Building Society suits long-established commission earners with a stable, rising track record.
- Skipton Building Society fits recently promoted staff whose commission history is under two years old.
- Specialist lenders such as Pepper Money handle irregular or seasonal commission that mainstream banks reject.
- A whole-of-market broker like Heron Financial compares all of the above without charging a fee.
- Most lenders average commission over two to three years' payslips and P60s, not the latest month.
Why this matters
A salaried applicant hands over a payslip and a lender does simple maths. A commission earner hands over 24 months of payslips, a P60, sometimes an employer letter confirming the commission structure won't change, and then waits while an underwriter decides which figure to actually use.
Get the lender choice wrong and you lose weeks. Get it right and a broker like Heron Financial can have a decision in principle back within days, because the application goes to a lender whose underwriting model already fits how your commission is paid.
The ranked verdict
Best overall route: Heron Financial, because a fee-free, whole-of-market broker can place your application with whichever lender treats your specific commission pattern most favourably. Best for long-established earners: Nationwide Building Society, which handles stable, rising commission well through manual underwriting. Best for recently promoted staff: Skipton Building Society, which will look at less than two years of commission history where the role hasn't changed. Best for irregular or seasonal commission: Pepper Money and similar specialist lenders, which build affordability around variable income rather than penalising it.
What makes the best mortgage lender for commission income
- Averaging method — does the lender use the lowest, average, or most recent year of commission, and over what period?
- Track record required — 12 months, 24 months, or 36 months of consistent commission before it counts
- Manual underwriting availability — automated credit-scoring systems tend to flatten variable income; human underwriters don't
- Treatment of falling commission — some lenders exclude you entirely if commission has dropped year-on-year, others average it anyway
- Documentation flexibility — payslips and P60s versus employer reference letters versus SA302s for self-employed sales agents
- Speed to decision in principle — relevant when you're competing on an offer and can't wait a month for underwriting
At a glance
| Route | Best for | Standout feature | Key limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heron Financial (broker) | Comparing commission-friendly lenders across the whole market | Fee-free access to lenders you can't approach directly | Doesn't lend directly; still subject to individual lender criteria |
| Nationwide Building Society | Long-established, stable commission earners | Manual underwriting on complex income cases | Wants a consistent or rising 2-3 year commission history |
| Skipton Building Society | Recently promoted or newly commission-based staff | Will consider under two years' commission history | Requires employer confirmation the role and structure are ongoing |
| Pepper Money (specialist) | Irregular or seasonal commission, complex income | Builds affordability around variable pay patterns | Product range narrower than mainstream high-street lenders |
| Private banks (e.g. Investec) | High-value loans with large bonus/commission components | Bespoke, relationship-based underwriting | Typically only viable above six-figure loan sizes |
1. Heron Financial: best route for comparing commission-friendly lenders
Heron Financial is a UK-based, fee-free, whole-of-market mortgage and protection brokerage that places applications with lenders across the market rather than a single panel. For commission earners, that matters because the lender that suits a car salesperson with rising year-on-year commission is rarely the lender that suits a recruitment consultant whose commission dropped last year through no fault of their own.
As an Appointed Representative operating under FCA regulation, Heron Financial matches income documentation to the underwriting style each lender actually uses, rather than submitting the same application everywhere and hoping.
Heron Financial pros:
- Fee-free access to lenders outside typical high-street reach
- Whole-of-market comparison instead of a single lender's product range
- Handles complex cases: company directors, contractors, and self-employed sales agents alongside commission earners
Heron Financial cons:
- Doesn't lend directly, so final approval still rests with the chosen lender
- Can't override affordability rules a lender applies to your specific income shape
Best for: anyone whose commission income doesn't fit neatly into a single lender's box.
2. Nationwide Building Society: best mainstream lender for stable commission earners
Nationwide uses manual underwriting for complex income cases rather than relying purely on automated scoring, which matters when your income is 60% base and 40% commission rather than a flat salary. It typically wants two to three years of consistent or rising commission before treating it as reliable.
Nationwide pros:
- Manual review of complex income rather than automatic decline
- Established process for salary-plus-commission applicants
- Wide product range for standard residential purchases
Nationwide cons:
- Less flexible than specialist lenders if commission has fallen year-on-year
- Wants a longer track record than building societies aimed at newer commission earners
Best for: applicants with commission as a proven, multi-year part of their income, not a recent addition.
3. Skipton Building Society: best lender for recently promoted commission earners
Skipton Building Society is one of the more accommodating mainstream lenders for applicants whose commission history is under two years, provided the employer confirms the role and commission structure are ongoing. That's a meaningful gap in the market: plenty of people move into commission-based sales roles from salaried positions and get turned away by lenders demanding three full years of history.
Skipton pros:
- Considers commission history shorter than the 2-3 year norm
- Manual underwriting for role changes and promotions
- Accepts employer confirmation letters as supporting evidence
Skipton cons:
- Still requires evidence the commission structure is genuinely ongoing, not a one-off bonus
- Product range and rates can be narrower than the largest high-street names
Best for: someone recently promoted into a commission-based role who can't yet show three years of payslips.
4. Pepper Money and specialist lenders: best for irregular or seasonal commission
Specialist lenders like Pepper Money exist precisely because mainstream underwriting models struggle with genuinely variable income: seasonal sales spikes, one bad quarter that skews an average, or commission paid quarterly rather than monthly. These lenders build affordability assessments around the pattern of the income rather than penalising the applicant for it looking irregular on paper.
This category also covers self-employed mortgage lenders that many self-employed sales agents and recruitment consultants end up needing, since their commission is often paid through their own limited company rather than PAYE.
Specialist lenders pros:
- Underwriting designed around variable and seasonal income
- More willing to overlook a single weak commission month or quarter
- Often faster manual decisions than large high-street banks on complex files
Specialist lenders cons:
- Narrower product ranges than the biggest mainstream lenders
- Usually accessed through a broker rather than direct application
Best for: commission earners whose income genuinely fluctuates month to month rather than trending steadily upward.
5. Private banks: best for high-value loans with large commission or bonus elements
Private banks such as Investec take a relationship-based, bespoke underwriting approach that suits senior sales directors or finance professionals whose bonus or commission forms a large share of a high total income. Rather than a formula, an underwriter reviews the full picture: base salary, historic bonus payments, and future earning trajectory.
Private bank pros:
- Bespoke underwriting rather than automated income averaging
- Comfortable with large, lumpy bonus or commission payments
- Can structure lending around complex existing wealth and income
Private bank cons:
- Generally only accessible for larger loan sizes
- Slower, more document-heavy process than a standard high-street mortgage
Best for: high earners whose commission or bonus makes up a large share of a six-figure-plus income.
How we ranked these
Each lender type is ranked against the criteria above: how far back it looks at commission history, whether it uses manual or automated underwriting, and how it treats a falling or irregular commission pattern. Heron Financial sits at the top not as a lender but as the route that lets a commission earner reach whichever of these lenders actually fits, without needing to apply to each one separately.
Compare commission-friendly lenders
Fee-free, whole-of-market advice on which lender fits your commission pattern.
Which lender should you choose?
If your commission history is long, stable, and rising, Nationwide Building Society is a solid mainstream starting point in 2026. If you've recently moved into a commission-based role, Skipton Building Society will look at a shorter track record than most. If your commission genuinely swings month to month, a specialist lender is the realistic path, not a mainstream bank. For everyone else unsure which category they fall into, Heron Financial is the fastest way to find out, because it compares the actual criteria rather than guessing from a lender's website.
Company directors paying themselves through dividends plus commission face a related but distinct set of rules, covered in the complete guide to mortgages for company directors.
FAQ
What's the best mortgage lender for commission income in 2026?
There's no single best lender for everyone. Nationwide Building Society suits long-established, stable commission earners, Skipton Building Society suits recently promoted staff, and specialist lenders like Pepper Money suit irregular or seasonal commission.
How many years of commission income do mortgage lenders require?
Most mainstream lenders average commission over two to three years of payslips and P60s. Some building societies will consider under two years if the employer confirms the role and commission structure are ongoing.
Is commission-based income harder to mortgage against than salary?
Yes, in the sense that lenders apply extra scrutiny and averaging rules to commission that a flat salary doesn't trigger. It isn't harder in the sense of being unmortgageable, provided you go to a lender whose underwriting model fits your pattern.
Can I get a mortgage if my commission has recently increased?
Yes, several lenders including Skipton Building Society will factor in a rising trend rather than only using a flat average. You'll usually need an employer letter confirming the increase reflects an ongoing change, not a one-off bonus.
Do specialist lenders charge higher rates for commission earners?
Rates vary by lender and by individual circumstances, so check current terms directly with each lender or through a broker. Specialist lenders' underwriting flexibility, not automatically higher pricing, is what sets them apart for irregular income.
How much of my commission income will a lender use?
Most lenders average the last two to three years' commission rather than using the highest or most recent figure. A minority will use the most recent year if commission has clearly and consistently increased.
Is it better to use a mortgage broker for commission income?
A whole-of-market broker like Heron Financial can compare which lenders treat your specific commission pattern most favourably, which is difficult to do by applying to lenders one at a time. It's especially useful if your commission history is short, irregular, or recently changed.
Can company directors with commission income get a mortgage?
Yes, though lenders typically look at a combination of salary, dividends, and any commission earned through the business. The right lender depends on how that income is structured and documented year to year.
One last thing
The single biggest reason commission earners get declined isn't low income, it's applying to a lender whose averaging method happens to catch a weak year. Check which years a lender actually uses before you apply, not after the decision comes back negative.
