Usually three: the last three months of payslips, plus your most recent P60. There is no legal fixed number. FCA MCOB 11.6 requires lenders to assess affordability against evidenced income, and three months is the market norm, not a rule, so always confirm the specific lender's list.
Why three months, and when does it change?
Three months brackets the bank-statement cycle a lender pulls alongside your payslips and catches monthly variation from overtime, commission, and shift pay. Paid four-weekly or weekly? Lenders usually want the equivalent period, so roughly the last 13 weekly or three four-weekly payslips, not three individual slips. A new job or recent pay rise can prompt a request for a signed contract or an employer reference in addition.
How many payslips by situation?
| Your situation | Typical payslip evidence | Usually also asked for |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly-paid employee | Last 3 monthly payslips | Latest P60 |
| Weekly-paid employee | Last 12 to 13 weekly payslips | Latest P60 |
| Just started a new job | First 1 to 2 payslips | Signed employment contract or offer letter |
| Self-employed or sole trader | None (no payslips) | SA302 and Tax Year Overview, usually 2 years |
| Company director | Payslips for the salary line | SA302s for the dividend line |
What if I have lost a payslip or the P60?
Use the PDFs payroll issued rather than screenshots. If one is missing, the HMRC Personal Tax Account holds Pay and Tax History that most lenders accept in place of a P60. Self-employed applicants do not supply payslips at all; the SA302 is what lenders ask for instead. For what an underwriter actually cross-checks on each slip, see what UK lenders check on a mortgage payslip.
Primary sources
- FCA Mortgages and Home Finance: Conduct of Business sourcebook (MCOB) — MCOB 11.6 requires affordability assessed against evidenced income, not a fixed payslip count
- P60 — gov.uk — The end-of-year certificate lenders pair with recent payslips
- Get evidence of your earnings (SA302) — gov.uk — What replaces payslips for self-employed and director applicants
- Personal Tax Account — gov.uk — HMRC Pay and Tax History as the backup when a payslip or P60 is missing
Editorial process: how we source and review UK tax content.