Skilled Worker Visa Financial Requirement
Some Skilled Worker applicants must show they have enough money to support themselves on arrival — the financial requirement (previously the maintenance requirement). It does not apply to everyone: many people already living in the UK meet it automatically, and others can rely on an A-rated sponsor to certify maintenance instead of holding the funds themselves.
Where you meet it yourself
Replaced the old 90-day rule
In the UK with permission
Can certify maintenance
On this page
In brief
- Some applicants must show enough money to support themselves on arrival (the financial/maintenance requirement).
- It does not apply to everyone — many already in the UK meet it automatically.
- An A-rated sponsor can certify maintenance instead of you holding the funds.
- The guide explains who needs it, how much, and the evidence required.
Who needs to meet the financial requirement?
The financial requirement is relevant where the applicant is:
- applying for entry clearance from outside the UK; or
- applying from inside the UK but has been in the UK with permission for less than 12 months.
These applicants must be able to show sufficient funds to support themselves and, where relevant, family members in the UK.
How much money — and for how long?
Where the applicant needs to satisfy the requirement themselves, the main applicant must have at least £1,270. This is intended to show they can support themselves when starting their life and employment in the UK.
Where the applicant relies on their own funds, they must provide evidence showing they have held at least £1,270 for a 28-day period.
28 days, not 90. The current caseworker guidance notes this 28-day period replaced the former 90-day maintenance period that applied to Tier 2 applications. The detailed evidence rules sit in Appendix Finance and the separate financial-requirement guidance.
Three ways the requirement can be met
For most applicants, the position comes down to one of three situations. Use the tabs to see which fits you.
You automatically meet the financial requirement if, on the date of application, you are applying for permission to stay and have already been in the UK with permission for at least 12 months. You do not need to demonstrate the £1,270 under this provision.
Example: someone who has lawfully lived in the UK with permission for the last two years and is now switching to or extending under the Skilled Worker route automatically meets the requirement on this basis.
An A-rated sponsor can certify maintenance — confirming it will maintain and accommodate the worker, if necessary, until the end of the worker's first month of employment, to an amount of at least £1,270. Where this is validly done, you do not need to rely on your own funds. The sponsor records the certification when assigning the Certificate of Sponsorship.
You show at least £1,270 held for the required 28-day period. The detailed rules on acceptable accounts, institutions and statement formats are in Appendix Finance — we confirm the evidence route that fits your circumstances rather than publish a generic list.
An A-rated sponsor does not automatically mean maintenance has been certified. The sponsor must actually provide the certification. Check your sponsorship arrangements rather than assuming your employer has covered the financial requirement for you.
Outside the UK, switching & extensions
Applying from outside the UK
A person applying for entry clearance from outside the UK will normally need to address the financial requirement — either by having an A-rated sponsor certify maintenance, or by providing the required evidence of at least £1,270. The 12-month automatic provision applies to people applying for permission to stay, so it should not be treated as a general exemption for an overseas entry-clearance application.
Switching from inside the UK
The position depends on how long you've been in the UK with permission. At least 12 months on the date of application → you automatically meet the requirement. Less than 12 months → you'll need to meet it through an A-rated sponsor's certification or your own funds.
Extensions
A Skilled Worker who has already been living in the UK with permission for at least 12 months will normally automatically meet this requirement when applying for further permission — so many established Skilled Workers won't need to provide separate evidence of £1,270 when extending.
What evidence is required?
Where you rely on your own money, the current Skilled Worker guidance requires evidence showing at least £1,270 held for the 28-day period. Beyond that, the Skilled Worker guidance refers the detailed evidence rules to the separate financial-requirement guidance and Appendix Finance.
We don't publish an unsupported evidence checklist here. The Skilled Worker guidance does not reproduce the complete rules on every acceptable account, financial institution, statement format or evidential condition — those come from Appendix Finance. We confirm the exact evidence that applies to your case as part of an assessment.
What about dependants?
An applicant who needs to meet the financial requirement must have sufficient funds to support themselves and any family members in the UK. The £1,270 figure on this page is the main-applicant amount — the complete dependant maintenance amounts and evidence rules come from the relevant dependant and Appendix Finance guidance, not from the main-applicant figure. See our Skilled Worker dependants guide for the family position.
Former officially sponsored students
A separate consent requirement can apply. If, during the 12 months before the application, you received an award from a government or international scholarship agency covering both fees and maintenance, you must provide that organisation's written consent to the Skilled Worker application. If the required consent is not provided, the guidance states the application will be rejected as invalid. This is separate from having £1,270 in maintenance funds.
Common mistakes
- Assuming everyone needs £1,270 in the bank — applicants in the UK with permission for at least 12 months meet the requirement automatically.
- Assuming the sponsor always covers maintenance — only an A-rated sponsor can certify it, and it must actually be provided.
- Holding the funds too briefly — where you rely on your own funds, the amount must have been held for a 28-day period.
- Confusing the old Tier 2 rule — the current requirement uses 28 days, not the former 90-day Tier 2 period.
- Forgetting dependant maintenance — where family members apply, their financial requirements must also be considered.
- Assuming a high salary removes the requirement — maintenance is a separate immigration requirement; a high future salary does not by itself replace it where it applies.
- Forgetting scholarship consent — recent qualifying government/international scholarship funding may require the sponsoring organisation's written consent.
Frequently asked questions
How much money do I need for a Skilled Worker visa? +
Where you need to satisfy the financial requirement yourself, you must show at least £1,270.
How long must I hold the £1,270? +
The guidance requires the funds to be held for a 28-day period.
Do I need £1,270 if I've already lived in the UK for more than a year? +
If you are applying for permission to stay and have been in the UK with permission for at least 12 months on the date of application, you automatically meet the financial requirement.
Can my employer certify my maintenance? +
Yes. An A-rated sponsor can certify that it will maintain and accommodate you, if necessary, until the end of your first month of employment, to an amount of at least £1,270.
Does every sponsor have the ability to certify maintenance? +
The guidance specifically provides this option for an A-rated sponsor.
Does an A-rated sponsor automatically mean I don't need financial evidence? +
No. The sponsor must actually certify maintenance for you.
Do I need maintenance funds when switching to Skilled Worker? +
If you have been in the UK with permission for at least 12 months, you automatically meet the requirement. If you have been here for less than 12 months, it must normally be met through your own funds or qualifying sponsor certification.
Do my partner and children need additional maintenance funds? +
Additional financial requirements can apply to family members. The exact dependant amounts should be checked against the relevant dependant and Appendix Finance guidance rather than inferred from the main-applicant £1,270 requirement.
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Disclaimer. The information on this page provides general information about UK immigration law and does not constitute legal advice on any individual immigration application. Immigration requirements depend on your individual circumstances and may change. You should seek professional advice before making an application or relying on the information provided.
Source basis: the UK Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Worker and the related work-route Appendices, together with the Home Office caseworker guidance published on GOV.UK. Immigration Rules and guidance change; confirm the current version on GOV.UK before applying.
Know how you'll meet the financial requirement before you apply
Depending on your circumstances, you may qualify automatically, rely on maintenance certified by an A-rated sponsor, or need to provide evidence of your own funds. Identify which applies to you before submitting.