On Maternity Leave and Thinking About Moving? Here's What Most People Don't Know

Bringing a new baby home is one of life's biggest moments. And for a lot of growing families, it also brings a very natural question - is the home we're in still the right one?

Maybe you've outgrown your current place. Maybe a second bedroom has gone from a nice-to-have to a genuine need. Maybe you're thinking about schools, space, a garden, a quieter street. Whatever the reason, the desire to move when a family is growing is completely understandable.

What stops a lot of people is the assumption that being on maternity leave makes a mortgage impossible.

It doesn't. And understanding why could change everything.

The Myth That Holds Families Back

The belief is a reasonable one on the surface. If one partner is on maternity leave, their income has dropped, sometimes significantly. Statutory Maternity Pay is considerably lower than a full salary, and for many families, the household income during leave looks very different to what it normally is.

So when couples start thinking about moving, the assumption is often that a lender will look at that reduced income and say no. That the timing is wrong. That they should wait until the return-to-work date comes around and apply then.

The problem with waiting is that it can mean delaying a move by months, sometimes longer, based on a concern that, in many cases, simply doesn't apply.

What Lenders Actually Look At

Here is the detail that most people on maternity leave don't know, and that can make an enormous difference to what's possible.

Most lenders don't base their affordability assessment on maternity pay. They base it on the salary the applicant will return to when their leave ends.

That's the figure that matters. Not what's coming in right now, but what will be coming in once the return-to-work date arrives. As long as that income is confirmed, usually through a letter from the employer confirming the return-to-work date and salary, many lenders will treat it exactly as they would treat any other employed income.

In practical terms, this means a family where one partner is currently on maternity leave can often borrow the same amount as they would if both partners were in full-time work right now. The timing of the application doesn't have to define what's available to them.

What You'll Typically Need to Show

Every lender handles this slightly differently, but in most cases the documentation required is straightforward.

A letter from the employer confirming the return-to-work date and the salary that will be paid on return is usually the key document. Payslips from before maternity leave began help demonstrate the pre-leave income. And recent bank statements showing the household's current financial position round out the picture.

It's also worth noting that the partner who is not on leave will have their income assessed in the normal way. In many cases, that income alone may get a mortgage started, and the returning partner's salary simply strengthens the application further.

None of this is complicated to put together. The main thing is knowing that the option exists in the first place.

Timing Can Actually Work in Your Favour

There's a case to be made that maternity leave can be a surprisingly good time to start the mortgage process.

Think about it practically. Leave creates a window, often several months, where life has slowed down in certain ways, where conversations about the future feel natural, and where the question of space and location suddenly becomes very real and very urgent. Starting the process during this period means that by the time the return-to-work date arrives, everything could be well underway. Solicitors instructed, surveys completed, and a completion date in sight.

Waiting until after returning to work often means starting from scratch at a point when life has become considerably busier again. Two parents back in full-time employment, a young child in nursery or with a childminder, and the practical demands of a move to manage on top of all of that.

Starting the conversation now, even just to understand what's possible, costs nothing and could save a lot of time further down the line.

What About Childcare Costs?

This is worth addressing honestly, because it does affect affordability assessments.

Once a partner returns to work, childcare costs often enter the picture, and lenders do take these into account when assessing what a household can comfortably afford. Nursery fees, childminder costs, and wraparound care can be significant, and it's important to factor them into your own budget planning as well as being transparent about them during the application process.

The good news is that lenders who are experienced with young families understand this. Factoring in childcare costs doesn't automatically reduce what you can borrow dramatically, it's part of a broader affordability picture that includes both incomes, all outgoings, and the overall financial health of the household.

Being upfront about these costs from the start, rather than hoping they won't be noticed, always leads to a smoother application and a more accurate picture of what's genuinely affordable.

We've Helped Plenty of Families in Exactly This Situation

At Endurance Mortgages, growing families are some of the most common clients we work with. We understand the pressures, the timescales, and the questions that come with moving when a new baby is part of the equation.

We know which lenders are most experienced with maternity leave applications. We know how to present a return-to-work income correctly so it's treated fairly in an affordability assessment. And we know how to structure an application that gives a young family the best possible chance of getting into the right home at the right time.

You don't need to wait. You don't need to guess. And you certainly don't need to put the idea of moving on hold just because one of you is currently on leave.

A Conversation Could Change Your Timeline Entirely

If you're on maternity leave, thinking about moving, and assuming the timing is wrong, please don't make that assumption without speaking to someone first.

A short conversation could tell you that you're in a much stronger position than you thought. It could map out a realistic timeline for moving before you return to work, or shortly after. It could turn a vague idea about a bigger home into a concrete plan with actual steps.

That conversation is free. It comes with no pressure and no commitment. And it might be the one that gets your growing family into the home it needs.

Speak to Endurance Mortgages today and let's find out what's possible for your family right now.

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Endurance Mortgages Ltd is an appointed representative of The Right Mortgage Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England and Wales no. 15060351. Registered Address: Worting House, Church Lane, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG23 8PX.