Mortgages for Teachers, Teaching Assistants & School Staff: Your Complete Guide

Mortgages for Teachers, Teaching Assistants & School Staff: Your Complete Guide

Teachers, teaching assistants and wider school staff often have stable employment and reliable income, which many lenders value highly. However, the education sector also includes variable pay, temporary contracts, pay-scale progression and term-time working — all of which can affect how lenders assess affordability. Understanding how mortgages for teachers work can help you prepare a stronger application and secure more suitable options.

This guide explains how lenders treat different education roles, what income they include, and the documents you’ll need. This article provides general information only and does not offer regulated mortgage advice.

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Are There Special Mortgage Schemes for Teachers?

Most lenders do not offer exclusive mortgage products for teachers, but many do have flexible criteria that work well for education-sector applicants.

However, affordability and acceptance rates tend to be strong because:

• Teachers are seen as stable earners
• Term-time roles demonstrate consistent employment
• Progression up pay scales offers predictable income growth

Some specialist lenders also cater to newly qualified teachers or those on fixed-term contracts.

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Who Counts as “School Staff” for Mortgage Purposes?

Lenders may take a flexible approach with applicants who work in:

• Primary and secondary schools
• Colleges
• Academies and multi-academy trusts
• Special educational needs institutions
• Private schools
• Early years and nursery settings

Roles can include:

• Teachers
• Teaching assistants
• Learning support assistants
• SEN specialists
• Pastoral staff
• Office and admin staff
• Technicians
• Caretakers
• Catering team members

Across these roles, the type and consistency of income determines how lenders assess borrowing capacity.

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How Lenders Assess Teacher and School Staff Income

1. Basic Salary

This is the most straightforward part of a teacher’s earnings.
Lenders take the annual gross salary from:

• The Teacher Pay Scale
• The Academy or Trust’s salary structure
• A private school’s contract

Basic salary counts in full for affordability.

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2. Teaching Allowances

Common allowances include:

• TLR (Teaching and Learning Responsibility)
• SEN allowances
• Leadership supplements
• Recruitment and retention payments

Lenders usually include these in full if they are permanent or contractual.

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3. Overtime or Additional Duties

Some school staff earn:

• Breakfast club payments
• After-school duties
• Holiday cover
• Exam marking

Lenders may include this income if it is:

• Regular (usually proven over 12 months)
• Clearly evidenced on payslips

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4. Term-Time-Only Income

Teaching assistants and support staff often work term time only.
Lenders base affordability on:

• Annualised salary (spread evenly over 12 months), or
• Monthly net pay if paid only during term months

Term-time income is generally treated the same as any other salaried role.

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5. Fixed-Term or Temporary Contracts

This is common for:

• Newly qualified teachers (NQTs)
• Cover supervisors
• Maternity leave cover
• Supply contracts within a single school

Some lenders require:

• 12 months’ employment history
• Evidence of renewal
• A confirmed long-term offer

Others accept shorter histories if there is a strong likelihood of ongoing employment.

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6. Supply Teachers

Income can be more variable, but still acceptable with the right evidence.
Lenders typically require:

• 12 months of consistent supply income, or
• A rolling umbrella contract
• Bank statements showing regular income

Not all lenders support supply-only applicants, so flexibility varies.

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What About Teachers Undergoing Pay Progression?

Teachers often have predictable annual pay increases.
However, lenders generally base affordability on your:

• Current confirmed salary
• Not future pay scale increases

In some cases, if you have a confirmed contract stating your pay rise date and amount, lenders may include this.

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Deposit Requirements for Teachers and School Staff

Deposit options depend mainly on credit profile and lender criteria.

5% Deposit (95% LTV)

Often available to:

• Teachers
• Teaching assistants
• Support staff
• Newly qualified teachers

Subject to strong affordability and credit.

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10% Deposit (90% LTV)

Provides:

• Wider lender choice
• More flexibility for supply workers
• More competitive rates

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15%+ Deposit

Useful if you have:

• Historic adverse credit
• Inconsistent income
• High short-term commitments

Lenders may be more flexible with larger deposits.

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How Credit Score Affects Teacher Mortgage Options

Lenders assess:

• Payment history
• Missed payments
• Defaults or CCJs
• Credit utilisation
• Recent searches

Teachers with minor historic issues can often secure mortgages with:

• 10%–15% deposits
• Clean recent payment conduct
• Stable bank statements

Supply teachers with variable income may need stronger credit to access high-street lenders.

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Key Documents Teachers and School Staff Need

You will typically need to provide:

• 3 months of payslips
• P60
• Employment contract
• Bank statements (usually 3–6 months)
• Proof of deposit
• ID and address documents

Supply teachers may also need:

• Umbrella company payslips
• 12 months of income history
• A letter from an agency confirming ongoing work

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How Teachers Can Strengthen a Mortgage Application

(General Information Only)

1. Reduce Credit Utilisation

Keeping balances low improves internal scoring.

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2. Avoid Applying for New Credit

Lenders prefer stable financial profiles.

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3. Improve Bank Statement Conduct

Avoid:

• Unarranged overdrafts
• Returned direct debits
• Irregular spending

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4. Document All Allowances Clearly

Provide payslips covering periods where allowances are paid.

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5. Plan for Pay Scale Moves

If a confirmed contract includes a future increase, retain the documentation.

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6. Provide a Clear History of Income if Supply Teaching

Regularity matters more than headline earnings.

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Example Borrower Scenarios

Scenario 1: Teacher on MPS2 with TLR

Strong income, often accepted at 5–10% deposit.

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Scenario 2: Teaching assistant term-time only

Accepted by most lenders at 5–10% deposit if recent conduct is clean.

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Scenario 3: Supply teacher with 12+ months of consistent income

Possible with lenders that accept variable pay.

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Scenario 4: Teacher with older settled defaults

Often accepted at 10–15% deposit.

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Summary

Mortgages for teachers and school staff are widely available, and lenders often view education-sector employment positively due to income stability. While supply teaching and fixed-term contracts can make assessments more complex, many lenders offer flexible policies for applicants who can demonstrate consistent earnings and good financial conduct.

Your deposit, income type, credit profile and recent bank statement behaviour all influence the options available. With good preparation and documentation, teachers, teaching assistants and school staff can secure strong mortgage outcomes.

This article provides general information only. For guidance tailored to your circumstances, regulated mortgage advice is required.