If you are paid under the Construction Industry Scheme and a bank has treated you like a risky applicant, you are not the problem. The problem is usually the lender’s approach. CIS mortgages exist because many subcontractors earn well, work consistently and can afford a strong mortgage, yet still get assessed through rules designed for straightforward salaried employees.
For CIS workers, that mismatch can mean lower borrowing, extra paperwork or a flat no from a lender that simply does not understand how your income works. The good news is that specialist lenders do, and the right mortgage advice can make a very real difference to what you are offered.
What are CIS mortgages?
CIS mortgages are mortgage products designed for people paid through the Construction Industry Scheme. In practice, that usually means subcontractors in trades such as bricklaying, carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, groundworks, roofing and related construction roles.
The key difference is how income is assessed. A mainstream lender may ask for years of accounts, average down income or focus too heavily on net profit if you are self-employed. A lender familiar with CIS may instead use your CIS payslips and gross income to work out affordability. That can lead to a much more realistic borrowing figure.
This matters because many CIS workers are not low earners at all. They are often paid regularly, have a track record in the same trade and can show strong ongoing demand for their work. When a lender understands that, the application starts to reflect real life rather than an outdated box-ticking exercise.
How CIS mortgages are assessed
With standard self-employed lending, many lenders want two or three years of accounts or SA302s and will base affordability on taxable income. That can be a poor fit if you run your affairs tax-efficiently, claim legitimate expenses or have only recently gone self-employed.
With CIS mortgages, some lenders are prepared to work from recent CIS payslips instead. They may look at your gross pay over the last few months and use that as the basis for affordability. In some cases, this can support a higher loan amount than a traditional self-employed assessment.
It is not one rule across the market, though. Criteria vary. Some lenders want three months of CIS payslips, others six. Some accept applicants with only a short time under CIS if there is a clear employment history in the same line of work. Others are more comfortable where there is at least 12 months of contracting behind you.
That is where specialist packaging matters. The detail of your work history, gaps between contracts, bank statements and deposit source can all affect which lender is the right fit.
Who can benefit from CIS mortgages?
These mortgages are typically suitable for subcontractors who are registered under the CIS and paid by contractors with tax deducted at source. If that describes how you are paid, you may not need to wait until you have years of accounts before applying.
They can be especially useful if you have been declined elsewhere, been offered less than expected or have been told you must increase your salary or change your income structure. In many cases, that advice is unnecessary. The better route is often a lender that already understands how CIS income works.
This approach can also help workers whose income looks inconsistent on paper but is strong over time. Construction income is not always neat month to month. Weather, project timing and contract changes can all affect the pattern. A lender used to CIS cases is more likely to view that with context rather than suspicion.
Why mainstream lenders often get it wrong
High street lenders are not always set up for non-standard income. Their systems tend to favour permanent employment, fixed salaries and conventional payslips. As soon as an applicant falls outside that pattern, the process can become rigid.
For a CIS worker, the frustration is obvious. You might have years of experience, steady work and a healthy day rate, yet still be treated as a higher-risk case because the lender does not know how to read your income properly.
That can show up in several ways. Borrowing may be capped too low. Extra documents may be requested that are not actually needed. The underwriter may focus on the wrong figures. In some cases, the application is declined when it could have been approved by a more suitable lender from the start.
This is why whole-of-market advice matters. With access to lenders that understand contractor and CIS income, it is possible to avoid wasting time on the wrong applications.
What lenders usually look at
Although criteria differ, most lenders offering CIS mortgages will want to build a picture of income stability, affordability and credit profile. Recent CIS payslips are central, but they are not the whole story.
Bank statements are usually needed to show income being received. Proof of ID, address history and deposit evidence are standard. Your credit report also matters. A few missed payments may not end the application, but serious adverse credit will narrow the lender options.
Lenders also consider the property, loan-to-value and overall affordability. If you are stretching to the maximum, the rate you can access and your monthly commitments become more important. Childcare costs, car finance and credit card balances all feed into the calculation.
The strongest cases are not always the highest earners. Often, they are the ones presented clearly, with the right documents, to a lender whose criteria genuinely match the applicant.
How much can you borrow with a CIS mortgage?
This is the question most applicants want answered first, and fairly so. The short answer is that borrowing can be stronger than with a standard self-employed route, particularly where a lender uses gross CIS income rather than tax calculations from accounts.
That said, it depends on the lender, your deposit, credit profile and monthly commitments. Two applicants with the same gross income can receive different offers if one has heavy unsecured debt or a lower credit score.
The most important point is this: if your first conversation has led to a borrowing figure that feels too low, do not assume that is the market limit. It may simply be the limit of that lender’s understanding.
Common problems with CIS mortgage applications
The biggest issue is usually not eligibility. It is placement. Many CIS applicants are mortgageable, but they are placed with lenders that assess them badly.
Another common problem is incomplete packaging. Missing payslips, unclear bank statements or poor explanation of work history can slow a case down or lead to avoidable questions. If there have been gaps in work, changes in trade status or a recent move from employed to subcontracting, those details need to be positioned properly.
Timing also matters. If you are buying a property and the chain is moving quickly, the wrong lender choice can cost you weeks. A specialist broker can often reduce that risk by sourcing a lender that is comfortable with CIS income from the outset and by getting the case to the right underwriter early.
How to improve your chances of approval
Preparation makes a difference. Keep your CIS payslips and bank statements tidy and easy to access. Make sure income paid in matches what is being declared. If you are planning a purchase or remortgage, check your credit report in advance so there are no surprises.
It also helps to avoid major new borrowing before you apply. A new car finance agreement or a spike in credit card balances can reduce affordability at the worst possible moment. If your deposit has come from savings, gift or sale proceeds, have that paper trail ready.
Most importantly, speak to someone who deals with contractor and CIS cases every day. This is where specialist brokers earn their keep. They know which lenders are likely to use CIS payslips, which underwriters understand construction income, and how to package a case so it lands well first time.
For many applicants, that means a faster Decision in Principle, less back-and-forth and a stronger chance of securing the borrowing they actually need.
Why specialist advice matters for CIS mortgages
CIS mortgages are not niche because the borrowers are weak. They are niche because the underwriting needs to be smarter. That is the gap specialist brokers fill.
A whole-of-market broker such as The Residential Mortgage Hub can compare lenders that treat CIS income properly, rather than forcing your application into a system that was never built for it. That often means better borrowing potential, fewer delays and a process that fits how you really work and get paid.
If you are under CIS and want to buy, remortgage or raise funds, the right mortgage is rarely about changing your income structure to suit a lender. It is about finding a lender that already understands it. That is usually where the best results start.
