The Intermediary – October 2025 - Flipbook - Page 46
SPECIALIST FINANCE
Opinion
Backing brokers,
because complex
isn’t impossible
I
like to think that what keeps
my role engaging is that
every case brings something
different. But for brokers,
that variety oen brings
an element of frustration –
especially in Scotland.
The number of times I hear, “It’s a
strong case, but it doesn’t meet every
criteria,” says it all. And nine times
out of 10, they’re not wrong. The client
can afford the mortgage, and they’ve
got a solid story behind them, but
because their income doesn’t look how
a computer wants it to, the case fails
to get out of the starting blocks. We’ve
had many conversations with brokers
north of the border who all tell us a
similar thing. Clients are being turned
away, not because they’re risky, but
because the criteria is too rigid.
One broker in Fife recently told
me about a healthcare worker on a
Skilled Worker visa. Good income,
reliable employer, the lot. But the
postcode, the visa and the fact she was
paid partly through an agency meant
she was knocked back twice. It didn’t
need to be that hard. We took the
case, assessed it, and she moved in six
weeks later.
Opening things up
That’s one of the reasons we’ve now
made our full residential mortgage
44
The Intermediary | October 2025
range available to the whole of
market in Scotland. This includes
Income Flex, Credit Flex, Core and
our Skilled Worker visa criteria. We
haven’t adjusted the criteria to make
it fit Scotland, and nothing has been
watered down.
It’s the exact same proposition
we offer in England and Wales, and
that’s the point. Everyone should have
access to a lender who looks at the full
picture, not just the postcode.
In May to July 2025, there were 4.43
million self-employed people across
the UK, according to the latest figures
from the Office for National Statistics
(ONS). That’s an increase of more than
130,000 year on year. It’s not a blip.
It’s a trend.
So, it’s becoming clear that fixed
income is no longer the norm. Many
of the clients we’re seeing are selfemployed, juggling multiple income
sources or working contracts that can
vary month to month.
That might sound complex, but it’s
also reality. And with the economic
pressure of the last few years, more
borrowers are picking up second
jobs or relying on net profit rather
than salary.
We’ve structured our Income Flex
range with that in mind. Whether it’s
one year’s accounts or a mixture of
income types, we’re open to a proper
conversation.
Visa doesn’t mean veto
The same goes for Skilled Worker
visa clients. We’re not asking for
minimum time remaining on a visa,
minimum income, or years of UK
residency.
If the case makes sense, we’ll look at
it. We’re seeing a growing number of
clients in Scotland coming through on
this route, particularly in the NHS and
education sectors. These are people
LAURA SNEDDON
is head of mortgage sales and
distribution at Hinckley &
Rugby for Intermediaries
Clients are being
turned away, not because
they’re risky, but because
the criteria is too rigid”
who are fully embedded in their
communities and more than capable
of maintaining a mortgage.
This isn’t about headlines or
coverage. We started by launching
into Scotland with PMS and Sesame
earlier this year. That limited launch
gave us time to listen. The feedback
was loud and clear. Brokers wanted
full access. They wanted us to keep
the same criteria.They didn’t want
another name on a panel, they wanted
an actual option for those tricky but
do-able cases. So we opened things
up, and we’re already seeing those
cases land.
What it means
We’re here for the real cases. The ones
that need a bit of explanation, or a call
to clarify something, or a workaround
that stays within policy but actually
gets the job done. And we’re pleased
to now be offering that same support
across Scotland.
If you’re working on a case that
doesn’t quite fit the usual mould,
whether it involves self-employment,
visa status or something more
nuanced, we’re happy to take a proper
look. Some of these cases aren’t
complex at all. They just need a lender
willing to listen. ●
