Packaging Requirements
Everything you need to know when packaging a case.
When you submit a full application and it’s accepted, we’ll give you a list of what’s needed to complete our assessment.
Within our online application system, just select the case and click on the ‘Actions’ tab to see what we’ve asked for. You can also upload the documents we’ve requested and certify them online. Please make sure the whole of each document can be seen and the information is clear and legible. Visit our working with us hub for top tips for uploading documents.
Here’s a list of the standard items we might ask for. If we need any additional documents we’ll let you know.
Proof of identity and residency
To help protect against fraud, the Anti Money Laundering Regulations (AML) require us to check the names and addresses of all applicants. We’ll attempt to do this electronically, but if this fails then each applicant must supply one item from the proof of identity list and one item from the proof of residency list.
The same document can’t be used to verify both their identity and residency.
How to provide proof of identity
ID only required if the applicant cannot be electronically verified.
Please provide one document type from the list below:
| Document type | Acceptable forms of proof |
| Driving Licence |
We will accept one of the following: Current full old style UK driving licence (paper version). Not more than 51 years old Current Full UK/EU/USA/Canada/Australia photo card driving licence. Not more than 10 years old Current Provisional UK photo card driving licence. Not more than three years old. |
| DWP/Benefits letter | Correspondence from the DWP/Benefits letter/Social Insurance documents/ dated within the last 13 months. |
| EU National ID Card | EU National ID Card (photographic) which must be valid and in date. |
| NI Electoral Office ID | Identity card issued by the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland (NI only). |
| HMRC Correspondence | HM Revenue & Customs/Revenue Commissioners correspondence e.g. Tax coding notice dated within the last 13 months (note: P60s & P45s are not acceptable). |
| Passport | Full current signed valid Passport, not more than 10 years old. |
How to provide proof of residency
Proof of address only required if the applicant is not on the voter's roll for all declared addresses in the last 12 months.
Please provide one document type from the list below:
| Document type | Acceptable forms of proof |
| Bank statement |
Original or certified copy of Bank/Building Society/Credit Union statement, dated within the last six months. |
| Credit card statement |
Original or certified copy of statement, dated within the last six months. |
| DWP/Benefits letter | Correspondence from the DWP/Benefits letter/Social Insurance documents dated within the last 13 months. |
| HMRC Correspondence | HM Revenue & Customs/Revenue Commissioners correspondence e.g. Tax coding notice dated within the last 13 months (note: P60s & P45s and internet copies are not acceptable). |
| Local Authority correspondence | Council tax bill dated within the last 12 months and from the current year (internet copies are not acceptable). |
| Solicitor house purchase letter | Letter from solicitors confirming recent house purchase within the last six months. |
| Utility bill |
For example gas, electricity, water, telephone (not mobile), cable services, satellite TV e.g. Sky. Must be original statement dated within the last six months (not ‘dongle’ contracts). |
Things to be aware of when providing documents:
- Documents being used to prove residency don’t need to show the full name, but initials must match
- The address must match against the application form
- Statements downloaded from the internet (e-statement) can only be accepted if Proof of Identity is provided by either Passport, UK driving licence or EU ID card. An e-statement must be printed as a PDF document, not an excel download. E-statements must contain the company name and logo, date, the applicant’s full name and address. If it’s used along with a driving licence, the addresses must be the same.
Proof of income
As part of our assessment, we'll ask for proof of income. Please see the options below for which documents we require from your client.
Please make sure you've also read our income criteria for further information.
Payslip:
Latest payslip covering a full month* and P60 (we may ask for payslips covering the last three months).
If the P60 is from a different employer, we'll also need the employment contract.
If your client is employed by a family business, we'll ask for payslips covering the last three months.
*Monthly employed = 1 payslip, Fortnightly = 2 payslips, Weekly = 4 payslips.
Bank statement:
Where requested we'll require* one full months’ statement for the account which the applicant’s wage/salary is paid into. Any statement provided must be no older than three months.
If the applicant’s income is not credited directly into a bank account, we may not be able to assist with the application.
If your client is employed by a family business, we'll ask for bank statements covering the last 3 months showing the salary/wage being credited.
*Confirmation of our full requirements will be provided upon submission of the application.
The term contractors covers contractors trading as self employed, limited companies and contractors working through an umbrella firm. Contractors have the option to apply as self employed, requiring 3 years trading and 2 years income figures, or as employment type contractor.
Contractors (not via an umbrella company):
We'll ask for the original or certified copy of the contract and all other contracts held in the last 12 months. The contract should confirm start date and end date, as well as the income (for example a day or monthly rate).
The underwriter may require invoices at their discretion.
Contractors via an umbrella company:
We'll ask for the contract between the end client and the umbrella company, as well as the contract between the umbrella company and the contractor. If the contract is arranged via an agency, we'll ask for the contract between the agency and the umbrella company, as well as details of the arrangement between the contractor and the end client.
Latest 3 months payslips from the umbrella company and the corresponding umbrella invoice reconciliation statements.
Bank statement:
Bank statements for both types of contractors:
One full month’s statement for the account which the applicant’s wage/salary/contracting income/pension is paid into. The statement supplied must be no older than three months.
If the applicant’s income is not credited directly into their bank account, we may not be able to continue with the mortgage application.
Payslip:
Evidence of pension income (e.g. P60, or former employer’s confirmation of pension).
Bank statement:
We’ll require* one full months’ statement for the account which the applicant’s pension is paid into. Any statement provided must be no older than three months.
*Confirmation of our full requirements will be provided upon submission of the application.
If your client is on or yet to be on maternity leave, please see our maternity leave criteria for further information about the additional documents we may require.
If your client is on parental leave, please see our parental leave criteria for further information.
Property
We'll ask for copies of the Fire Risk Assessment Report (FRA) and the Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls Report (FRAEW) for properties purchased in residential housing blocks of four storeys or more. These documents may be separate or combined. This information should be freely available on all residential blocks of flats and large houses with multiple occupants as this is a legal requirement under the Building Safety Act and Building Safety (Leaseholder Protections) (England) Regulations.
If these reports are not supplied at this stage we'll ask for these reports post valuation. Please be aware that if a fire safety risk is discovered at valuation stage this may cause delays.
Properties which have 10 storeys or more must be referred to us prior to application.
We do not accept EWS1 Forms.
For properties 4 storeys or less with potentially combustible cladding and/or stacked balconies which could facilitate the spread of fire, the valuer may recommend an FRA and/or FRAEW report to be provided.
If requested, we will not process the application further until the documents have been obtained and reviewed.
EWS1 forms are not acceptable.
For further guidance, please see our fire risk assessments and property criteria.
For properties above 4 storeys with potentially combustible cladding and/or stacked balconies which could facilitate the spread of fire, we'll require a copy of the FRAEW report.
This report may form part of the FRA report or be a separate document. If separate we'll need to review both the FRA and FRAEW reports. To find out which qualifications for FRA and FRAEW reports we accept, please see our fire risk assessments criteria.
EWS1 forms are not acceptable.
If these reports are not supplied at this stage we'll ask for these reports post valuation. Please be aware that if a fire safety risk is discovered at valuation stage this may cause delays.
Packaging tips
Providing incorrect information and over packaging a case can hold it up, so here’s some tips to help you:
- Capture and key the applicant’s date of birth correctly
- Check for any deductions in payslips which suggest an undeclared outgoing
- Capture and key the address history correctly. Please input the address where the applicant officially lives. This may not be where their post has been delivered, e.g. a university address as opposed to a home address
- Clarify when applicants are married but application is sole
- Ensure each applicant’s name(s) are spelt correctly. If not the case could be rescored
- Check for undeclared credit items in bank statements
- Include all correct phone numbers and email addresses for an online offer
- Supply full details of any previous declined applications
- For non-commutable distances, query with your client upfront to avoid delays
- Ensure all National Insurance numbers are correct and valid
- Ensure the employment section is completed correctly. For example, you’ll need to include self employed and employed statuses as well as the classification of the applicant’s occupation. If your client has more than one job, add both salaries together and enter into the income field. Please provide full employment details and the breakdown of the salaries in the additional information box
- Use the additional information box to include supplementary case notes, for example if the property has undergone significant work or if the lease is being extended.