CIS Workers: How to Get the Mortgage You Deserve

If you work in construction, there’s a good chance you’re paid under the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS). In 2023, it was reported that 1.2 million construction workers in the UK were paid using the CIS, which was 15% more than the year prior. But despite CIS being a perfectly normal way to get paid, many workers still struggle to get the mortgage they want.

Why? Mostly because they (and often their banks) don’t fully understand how CIS income is treated. Let’s clear that up – and show you how to get the mortgage you deserve, often for a much bigger amount than you might think.

A CIS worker is typically a subcontractor who works in construction and is paid through the HMRC’s Construction Industry Scheme.

That means:

• Your contractor deducts tax at source (usually 20% if you’re registered) and pays it straight to HMRC.
• You get paid the remaining amount, often with a CIS payslip or voucher that shows gross and net pay.

Even though you’re technically self-employed, many of your pay records look a lot like an employee’s. And that’s actually really useful when it comes to getting a mortgage – if you work with the right broker.

Most banks and brokers will automatically treat CIS workers as fully self-employed. That means they’ll likely pigeonhole you as “higher risk” and ask for at least two years’ worth of accounts or SA302s, showing your self-employed income.

If your declared profits aren’t high enough, or you’ve only been under CIS for a short time, that often means:

• Being offered a much smaller mortgage than you had hoped for
• Or worse: getting declined altogether

It’s incredibly frustrating because your actual earnings might easily support a much larger mortgage.

Most high street banks and mortgage brokers don’t understand the hurdles that CIS workers go through when applying for a mortgage. If your broker knows what they’re doing, they’ll place you with a lender that treats your CIS income exactly like an employed salary.

That means:

• They’ll often only need 3 months of CIS payslips or vouchers (plus your bank statements to show the income landing).
• They’ll assess your income on your gross earnings shown on those payslips – not your net profits or your tax returns.
• You can often borrow far more than with standard self-employed rules, and buy a lot sooner.

Getting a CIS mortgage is actually pretty straightforward when you know the process. Usually, you’ll just need:

• 3 months of CIS payslips or vouchers
• 3 months of corresponding bank statements
• Proof of ID, address and income

A good broker will package these up to present your CIS income in the best possible light. That’s where we come in.

We’re self-employed mortgage specialists – and that absolutely includes CIS workers.

• Borrow more than you expected: Because we know exactly which lenders to match you with, we’ll get you CIS workers the best mortgage deal possible.
• Buy sooner: No need to wait for two years of accounts. With New Wave, the right paperwork means you could be buying now.
• In-house underwriting: We check every detail before your application goes to the lender, so your CIS mortgage goes through smoothly.
• The New Wave Guarantee: We promise you’ll be accepted – or we’ll gift you £250 in Amazon vouchers.

If you’re a CIS worker dreaming of your own home, you’re not asking for anything unreasonable. You just need a broker who knows how to get it done.

Talk to a self-employed mortgage specialist today and find out how much more you could borrow. We’ll guide you every step of the way – and make sure your hard work pays off.