Contractor day-rate income
Case-by-case
Umbrella company income
Yes
Limited-company director income
Yes
| Criteria | Verdict | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Contractor day-rate income | Case-by-case | — ×5×46 for PSC sole-director route only — ≥£218/day, no employees, ≤90% LTV; umbrella/agency assessed on payslip average |
| Day-rate income | Yes | — |
| Contract-based income (first-timer) | Case-by-case | — |
| Umbrella company income | Yes | — Employed/payslip basis |
| Limited-company director income | Yes | — PSC route |
| CIS income | No | — Full self-employed, 2yr |
| Fixed-term contract income | Yes | — |
| Max LTV (standard) | Yes |
90% LTV cap applies on the PSC sole-director day-rate route |
Source: lender intermediary criteria, every row verified on or since 2026-07-13 (most recent check 2026-08-19). Criteria change frequently — always confirm current policy with the lender or a broker.
Adviser's view
Barclays contractor mortgage criteria at a glance
- Income basis: day rate × 5 days × 46 weeks — PSC sole directors only, £218+/day, no employees
- Maximum LTV on the day-rate route: 90%
- Umbrella / agency: average of recent payslips, not annualised day rate
- CIS: not accepted on a contractor basis — self-employed route, 2 years' accounts
- Fixed-term contracts: accepted
Barclays runs a day-rate calculation, but only down a specific route: personal service company sole directors earning at least £218 a day, with no employees, using the standard five-times-forty-six-week approach. That route is capped at 90% loan-to-value rather than Barclays' wider residential maximum, so it's worth knowing the day-rate uplift comes with a tighter ceiling than some rivals offer. Umbrella and agency contractors are assessed differently — on an average of recent payslips rather than annualised day rate — which still works but is a less generous calculation for high day-rate earners.
Limited company directors are accepted via the PSC route described above, and fixed-term contract income is accepted too. CIS income isn't accepted on a contractor basis at all — Barclays wants the full self-employed picture with two years' accounts instead, which is worth flagging early to CIS workers considering this lender.
The table above carries the current verified positions; given the route-dependent treatment here, it's worth confirming which calculation applies to your setup before applying.
FAQ
Does Barclays do contractor mortgages?
Yes, on a specific route: personal service company sole directors earning £218+ a day, with no employees, assessed at day rate × 5 × 46 weeks and capped at 90% LTV. Umbrella and agency contractors are assessed on average recent payslips instead.
Does Barclays accept CIS contractors?
Not on a contractor basis. CIS workers are assessed as self-employed with two years' accounts, so CIS subcontractors wanting an employed-style assessment should compare lenders like Halifax, which treats CIS as employed.