Nottingham Building Society has launched a pilot scheme to help foreign national healthcare workers get mortgages.
The pilot is aimed at NHS and private sector staff such as clinical professionals, carers, porters, administrators and support staff.
The scheme is designed for people on agency, contract or zero-hour deals, who often struggle with mortgage applications due to the way they are paid.
As part of the pilot, the lender will accept 100% of verified agency income if applicants can show three months of consistent pay.
This also covers zero-hours contracts and multiple sources of income, as long as these are regular and can be proven.
Where applicants have both agency and employed income, both will be used to work out what they can afford.
The move is part of the mutual’s plan to make lending more flexible and open to people who are often left out.
Matt Kingston, sales director at Nottingham Building Society, said: “We know from our data that healthcare is by far the most common profession among applicants to our foreign national and expat mortgage range.
“These are dedicated individuals, often in complex employment arrangements, who play an invaluable role in caring for our communities.
“The reality is, though, that those same individuals really struggle to get a mortgage and own a home.”
Kingston added: “This pilot programme is our initial response to support them and is designed to better reflect the realities of how they work and earn, and to give them a fairer opportunity to access homeownership.
“It’s a positive and proactive step that aligns with our wider mission: to challenge convention, support key workers, and continue leading in underserved areas of the market.”
