Important: This guide provides general legal information, not legal advice. The adequate maintenance calculation depends heavily on individual circumstances — income sources, family size, housing costs and benefit entitlements all affect the outcome. If you are unsure whether this route applies to you, complete our free UK Spouse Visa Risk Check.
Quick Answer: What Is the Adequate Maintenance Test?
The adequate maintenance test is an alternative financial route for UK spouse visa applications where the sponsor receives a qualifying disability or armed forces benefit. Instead of meeting the standard £29,000 income threshold, the family must show that their weekly net income — after deducting housing costs — is at least equal to the Income Support level a British family of the same size would receive.
It is assessed using a three-part formula: A − B ≥ C, where A is weekly net income, B is weekly housing costs, and C is the weekly Income Support equivalent for the household. There is no fixed monetary threshold — the required amount changes with family size, housing costs and the Income Support rates set each April.
The adequate maintenance route only becomes available when the UK sponsor currently receives one of the specified qualifying benefits listed in Appendix FM. If the sponsor does not receive one of those benefits, the standard £29,000 threshold applies — this route is not available by choice.
⚡ What Has Changed Recently?
- November 2025: Home Office updated its caseworker guidance on adequate maintenance and accommodation (Appendix FM and Adult Dependent Relatives guidance, updated 11 November 2025), including clarification on benefits payable by Social Security Scotland.
- June 2025: Migration Advisory Committee published its review of family visa financial requirements, recommending that the current adequate maintenance test be replaced with a simplified housing suitability assessment for benefit-receiving families. The Government has not yet implemented this recommendation.
- April 2026: Income Support rates uprated for 2026/27. The C component of the adequate maintenance formula changed accordingly — always use current rates, not those from prior years.
- June 2026: The adequate maintenance test itself remains unchanged. The MAC recommendation is pending; no legislative change has been announced.
📋 At a Glance
- Who it applies to: Sponsors receiving a qualifying disability or armed forces benefit
- Standard threshold: Not required — replaces the £29,000 minimum income requirement
- Formula: A − B ≥ C (weekly net income minus housing costs must equal or exceed weekly Income Support equivalent)
- Income used: NET (after tax and National Insurance) — not gross
- Fixed threshold: None — depends on family size and current Income Support rates
- Savings: Can supplement income — no minimum savings threshold applies
- Key legislation: Appendix FM paragraphs E-ECP.3.3 and E-LTRP.3.3
- Key guidance: Home Office — Family Migration: Appendix FM and Adult Dependent Relative (updated November 2025)
- Accommodation: Must also be adequate — this is a separate requirement assessed alongside maintenance
⚠️ The Adequate Maintenance Calculation Is Not Straightforward
The formula looks simple. In practice, the income assessment uses weekly net figures rather than annual gross, the C component changes every April, and housing costs must be calculated precisely. A case that appears to pass the test on a rough estimate can fail on the detail. Our free Risk Check reviews whether this route applies to you and where the risks are.
Table of Contents
- Who Does the Adequate Maintenance Test Apply To?
- The Qualifying Benefits List
- The A − B ≥ C Formula Explained
- Component A: Weekly Net Income
- Component B: Weekly Housing Costs
- Component C: Income Support Equivalency
- How Savings Factor In
- Worked Example
- The Accommodation Requirement
- Evidence You Need to Provide
- Adequate Maintenance vs the £29,000 Threshold
- Common Real-World Scenarios
- The MySpouseVisa.com Adequate Maintenance Frameworks
- Martin Taggart’s Practical Insight
- Frequently Asked Questions
- References and Official Sources
1. Who Does the Adequate Maintenance Test Apply To?
The adequate maintenance test applies only on the 5-year partner route to settlement under Appendix FM, where the UK sponsor is currently receiving one of the specified qualifying benefits. It is confirmed in paragraphs E-ECP.3.3 (entry clearance) and E-LTRP.3.3 (leave to remain) of Appendix FM.
It is not an option freely available to all applicants. The sponsor must actually be in receipt of a qualifying benefit at the time of application. If they are not, the standard financial requirement of £29,000 gross per year applies regardless of income level or family circumstances.
Notably, adequate maintenance is not a requirement for applications on the 10-year partner route — a different financial assessment applies there. It also does not apply to adult dependent relative applications under the same rules.
Quick Answer — Who Qualifies
The adequate maintenance test only applies where the UK sponsor currently receives a specified qualifying benefit — including PIP, DLA, Carer’s Allowance, or Armed Forces compensation. It is not a choice; if the sponsor does not receive one of these benefits, the standard £29,000 threshold applies.
2. The Qualifying Benefits List
The sponsor must be receiving one or more of the following benefits at the date of application:
| Qualifying Benefit | Administering Body |
|---|---|
| Disability Living Allowance (DLA) | DWP |
| Severe Disablement Allowance | DWP |
| Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit | DWP |
| Attendance Allowance | DWP |
| Personal Independence Payment (PIP) | DWP |
| Carer’s Allowance | DWP |
| Armed Forces Independence Payment | Veterans UK |
| Guaranteed Income Payment under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme | Veterans UK |
| Constant Attendance Allowance (War Pensions Scheme) | Veterans UK |
| Mobility Supplement (War Pensions Scheme) | Veterans UK |
| War Disablement Pension | Veterans UK |
| Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance | Social Security Scotland |
The November 2025 update to Home Office caseworker guidance specifically added clarification on benefits payable by Social Security Scotland — including Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance — which now explicitly triggers the adequate maintenance route in Scotland.
Quick Answer — Qualifying Benefits
Twelve specified benefits trigger the adequate maintenance route, including PIP, DLA, Carer’s Allowance, Attendance Allowance, and several Armed Forces and War Pension payments. Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance was confirmed as a qualifying benefit in November 2025 Home Office guidance updates.
3. The A − B ≥ C Formula Explained
The adequate maintenance test uses a three-part formula confirmed in case law and set out in Home Office caseworker guidance:
A − B ≥ C
| Component | What It Means |
|---|---|
| A | Weekly net income — all household income after income tax and National Insurance, including employment income, qualifying benefits, other benefits, and savings contributions (see Section 7) |
| B | Weekly housing costs — rent or mortgage payments plus council tax. Does not include other utilities |
| C | Weekly Income Support equivalent — the amount a British family of the same size and composition would receive on Income Support. Rates change each April. |
The test is met if A minus B is equal to or greater than C. The family’s net income after housing costs must at least match what Income Support would provide for an equivalent British household.
This formula was confirmed in the Upper Tribunal case Ahmed v Bangladesh [2013] UKUT 84 (IAC), which established the mathematical framework and confirmed that the test looks at individual family circumstances rather than a fixed national threshold.
Quick Answer — The Formula
The test is A − B ≥ C: weekly net income (A) minus weekly housing costs (B) must equal or exceed the weekly Income Support equivalent for the household size (C). Unlike the standard route, this uses net income and has no fixed threshold — it varies with family size and current benefit rates.
4. Component A: Weekly Net Income
Component A is the household’s total weekly net income — a critical difference from the standard financial requirement, which uses annual gross income. Net means after income tax and National Insurance have been deducted.
Qualifying income sources for Component A include:
- Employment income (net, after deductions)
- Self-employment income (net profit)
- The qualifying disability or armed forces benefit itself
- Other benefits (including Child Tax Credit, Child Benefit, Working Tax Credit)
- Pension income
- Non-employment income (dividends, rental income)
- A weekly savings contribution (see Section 7)
⚠️ Key difference from the standard route: Under the adequate maintenance test, benefits including Child Tax Credit and Child Benefit can be counted as income in Component A. These do not count at all under the standard £29,000 threshold route. This can meaningfully change whether a family meets the test.
For employment income, the relevant period is generally the 6 months (or shorter employment period) before the date of application. The figure used is the weekly equivalent of net income received during that period.
Quick Answer — Component A
Component A is total weekly net income after tax and National Insurance, from all qualifying sources including employment, the qualifying benefit itself, Child Tax Credit, Child Benefit, pensions, and savings contributions. Benefits excluded from the standard route can count here.
5. Component B: Weekly Housing Costs
Component B is the household’s weekly housing costs. This includes:
- Weekly rent or mortgage payments
- Weekly council tax
It does not include other utilities such as gas, electricity, water, broadband, or insurance.
If costs are quoted monthly, divide by 52 and multiply by 12 to obtain the weekly equivalent — or simply divide the monthly figure by 4.33.
⚠️ Council tax exemptions: If the household is exempt from council tax (for example, because all adults are students, or the sponsor’s disability benefit qualifies them for a discount or exemption), this should be reflected accurately in the B figure. Some families will have a council tax figure of £0 — this reduces B and therefore increases the A − B result, making the test easier to meet.
Quick Answer — Component B
Component B is weekly rent or mortgage payments plus council tax only. Other utilities do not count. A council tax exemption reduces this figure and can make the test easier to pass. Always calculate the weekly equivalent accurately from monthly figures.
6. Component C: Income Support Equivalency
Component C is the amount a British family of the same size and composition would receive in Income Support. This is the benchmark the family’s net income after housing costs must reach or exceed.
Income Support rates are uprated each April. Decision makers must apply the rates current at the date of their decision — not the date the application was submitted. This matters in cases where processing takes several months and rates change in between.
The 2026/27 personal allowances confirmed by Freemovement.org.uk (sourced from official DWP rates) are:
| Family Composition | Weekly Income Support Rate (2026/27) |
|---|---|
| Single person (aged 25+) | £90.50 (approximate — verify current rate) |
| Couple (both aged 18+) | £142.25 (approximate — verify current rate) |
| Each dependent child | Additional child element applies |
| Couple with one child | Approximately £238.03 per week (per Freemovement worked example) |
| Couple with two children | Approximately £325.91 per week (per Freemovement 2026/27 figure) |
⚠️ [SOLICITOR REVIEW NEEDED: Verify the exact 2026/27 Income Support personal allowance rates before publication. Use the current DWP benefit rates schedule at gov.uk/income-support. Rates above are approximate from third-party sources and must be confirmed against the official DWP publication for the 2026/27 tax year before this table goes live.]
Quick Answer — Component C
Component C is the weekly Income Support equivalent for the household’s size and composition. Rates are set each April and must be checked at the date of the Home Office’s decision — not the application date. A couple with two children needs approximately £325.91 per week (2026/27 rates).
7. How Savings Factor In
Cash savings can be added to Component A as a weekly contribution. The method differs from the standard route — there is no £16,000 floor and no multiplier formula. Instead, under paragraph 12B of Appendix FM-SE:
- All qualifying cash savings (not just those above £16,000) can be counted
- The total savings figure is divided by the number of weeks of leave that would be granted if the application succeeded
- The resulting weekly figure is added to Component A
The divisors by application type are:
| Application Type | Weeks Divisor |
|---|---|
| Entry clearance (spouse visa from outside UK) | 143 weeks |
| FLR(M) — leave to remain from inside UK | 130 weeks |
| ILR / Indefinite Leave to Enter | 52 weeks |
| Fiancé visa | 26 weeks |
For example, if the sponsor holds £3,000 in savings and is making an entry clearance application: £3,000 ÷ 143 = £20.97 per week can be added to Component A.
If the savings figure fluctuates over the 6-month holding period, the Home Office uses the lowest balance evidenced during that period — not the current balance or the highest balance.
For full detail on what counts as qualifying savings, see our UK Spouse Visa Savings guide.
Quick Answer — Savings in the Adequate Maintenance Calculation
Savings are divided by the number of weeks of leave to give a weekly contribution to Component A. For entry clearance, £3,000 in savings adds approximately £21 per week. All qualifying savings count — not just those above £16,000 as on the standard route. The lowest 6-month balance is used, not the current total.
8. Worked Example
The following example is adapted from the Freemovement.org.uk worked example using 2026/27 Income Support rates.
Grace wants to sponsor her husband David to come to the UK. She receives Personal Independence Payment (a qualifying benefit). Grace earns £220 per week net from part-time employment and also receives £93.99 per week in Child Tax Credit and £33.70 per week in Child Benefit for their one child. Her housing costs are £120 rent plus £20 council tax per week.
| Component | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| A (Weekly net income) | £220 (employment) + £93.99 (Child Tax Credit) + £33.70 (Child Benefit) | £347.69 per week |
| B (Weekly housing costs) | £120 (rent) + £20 (council tax) | £140.00 per week |
| A − B | £347.69 − £140.00 | £207.69 per week |
| C (Income Support — couple + 1 child, 2026/27) | Couple allowance + child element | Approximately £238.03 per week |
| Does A − B ≥ C? | £207.69 vs £238.03 | ❌ No — test not met |
In this example, Grace fails the test by approximately £30 per week. However, if she held £4,300 in savings (£4,300 ÷ 143 weeks = £30.07/week), that additional weekly savings contribution would push A − B to approximately £237.76 — still marginally short. She would need approximately £4,400 in savings to bring the total just over the C figure of £238.03.
This illustrates how the adequate maintenance test is genuinely case-by-case — a small change in income, housing costs, or savings can determine whether it is passed or failed.
9. The Accommodation Requirement
Adequate maintenance and adequate accommodation are two separate but connected requirements. Both must be met. Accommodation is assessed under paragraph E-ECP.3.4 (entry clearance) and E-LTRP.3.4 (leave to remain) of Appendix FM.
The accommodation must be:
- Not overcrowded under the Housing Act 1985
- Not in breach of public health regulations
- Owned or exclusively occupied by the family — not shared with non-family members in a way that would cause overcrowding
Evidence of adequate accommodation includes: tenancy agreements, mortgage statements, or a letter from a landlord confirming the property details, alongside evidence of the property’s size relative to the family’s needs.
10. Evidence You Need to Provide
- Benefit award letter: Official DWP or Veterans UK letter confirming the qualifying benefit, amount, and that it is currently in payment
- Bank statements: At least 6 months showing receipt of benefits and other income, no older than 28 days at submission
- Employment evidence (if applicable): Payslips and employer letter confirming net salary
- Other benefit evidence: Award letters or official correspondence for Child Tax Credit, Child Benefit, or other benefits being included in Component A
- Housing cost evidence: Tenancy agreement or mortgage statement, plus council tax bill (or exemption letter)
- Savings evidence (if using savings): 6 consecutive months of bank statements showing the balance throughout — the lowest figure in that period will be used
- The calculation itself: It is strongly advisable to include a clear written breakdown of the A − B ≥ C calculation showing how each figure was derived — a caseworker should be able to follow it without having to construct it themselves
11. Adequate Maintenance vs the £29,000 Threshold
| Feature | Standard Route (£29,000) | Adequate Maintenance Route |
|---|---|---|
| Who can use it | All sponsors (where no qualifying benefit) | Only sponsors receiving a qualifying benefit |
| Income measure | Gross annual income | Weekly net income |
| Fixed threshold | Yes — £29,000 | No — depends on family size and Income Support rates |
| Benefits counted as income | No (except the qualifying benefit triggers the route) | Yes — Child Tax Credit, Child Benefit and others can be included |
| Savings treatment | Formula: £16,000 + (shortfall × 2.5) | Total savings ÷ weeks of leave = weekly contribution to A |
| Savings minimum | £16,000 floor applies | No floor — all qualifying savings count |
| Housing costs | Not considered in the income calculation | Deducted from income as Component B |
| Predictability | High — fixed number | Lower — depends on multiple variables |
Which Route Applies to Your Situation?
If you’re unsure whether you qualify for the adequate maintenance route — or whether it would be better to use the standard route if you have a choice — our free Risk Check reviews your specific benefit status, income, and housing costs and tells you which route applies and whether you’re likely to meet it.
12. Common Real-World Scenarios
Scenario: “I receive PIP. Do I have to meet the £29,000 threshold?”
Direct answer: No — the adequate maintenance test applies instead.
PIP is one of the qualifying benefits that replaces the standard financial requirement with the A − B ≥ C test. You don’t need to show income of £29,000; you need to show that your weekly net income minus housing costs is at least equal to the Income Support equivalent for your household.
Risk: You still need to meet the adequate maintenance calculation — it is an alternative test, not an exemption from financial requirements entirely. And accommodation must still be adequate.
Scenario: “I receive Carer’s Allowance and earn £180 per week net. We pay £100/week rent and no council tax. We have no children.”
Direct answer: You likely pass the test — but the numbers need to be verified at current rates.
A = £180 (employment net) + Carer’s Allowance weekly rate. B = £100 (rent). C = Income Support for a couple with no children (approximately £142.25/week at 2026/27 rates, but verify current rates). If A − B ≥ £142.25, the test is met. Even before adding Carer’s Allowance to A, £180 − £100 = £80, which is below C. Adding Carer’s Allowance (approximately £81.90/week) gives: (£180 + £81.90) − £100 = £161.90 vs £142.25 — passes. [SOLICITOR REVIEW NEEDED: verify current Carer’s Allowance weekly rate and Income Support couple rate for 2026/27 before publishing this scenario.]
Risk: Rates change each April. Always use current rates at the date of decision, not figures from prior years or this guide.
Scenario: “I receive PIP and my sponsor earns well above £29,000. Should we use adequate maintenance or the standard route?”
Direct answer: Where the sponsor also earns above £29,000, you have a choice — and the standard route may be simpler.
Where the sponsor receives a qualifying benefit AND earns above the £29,000 standard threshold, the Home Office guidance suggests it is worth modelling both routes. The standard route is more predictable (a fixed gross income figure); the adequate maintenance route involves more variables. In a clear-cut case at £29,000+, the standard route is often simpler to evidence and present.
Risk: Don’t assume adequate maintenance is always easier — in some cases the standard route is cleaner and carries less evidential risk.
Scenario: “We have two children and our income after housing costs is close to the C figure — can savings close the gap?”
Direct answer: Yes — savings can top up Component A as a weekly contribution.
Divide your total qualifying savings by 143 (entry clearance) or 130 (in-country extension). The resulting weekly figure adds directly to Component A. If the gap between A − B and C is, say, £30/week, you need approximately £4,290 in savings (£30 × 143) to close it for an entry clearance application.
Risk: The Home Office uses the lowest savings balance evidenced in the 6-month holding period, not the current total. Ring-fence the savings and ensure the balance doesn’t dip.
Scenario: “My sponsor’s PIP was awarded but the award letter is 18 months old. Will that do?”
Direct answer: An old award letter may not suffice — you need evidence the benefit is currently in payment.
The adequate maintenance route requires the sponsor to be currently receiving the qualifying benefit. The award letter establishes entitlement, but recent bank statements showing the PIP payments being received confirm it is currently in payment. Both are needed.
Risk: If PIP has since been reassessed, reduced or stopped, the adequate maintenance route may no longer be available — check the current award status before applying.
Scenario: “I’m in Scotland and receive Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance.”
Direct answer: Yes — this now qualifies as a triggering benefit following the November 2025 guidance update.
Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance (administered by Social Security Scotland) was explicitly added to the list of qualifying benefits in the November 2025 Home Office caseworker guidance update. The adequate maintenance test therefore applies to sponsors in Scotland receiving this benefit.
Risk: This is a relatively recent addition to the guidance. Ensure the award letter clearly identifies the benefit as Scottish Adult DLA and that caseworkers are aware of the November 2025 update if any query arises.
Scenario: “We rent privately at £1,200 per month — how does that affect the calculation?”
Direct answer: High housing costs make the test harder to pass because B is larger, reducing A − B.
£1,200/month = £276.92/week (divide by 4.33). This is deducted from Component A before comparing to C. If weekly net income is £400 and housing costs are £276.92, A − B = £123.08 — which for most family sizes would fall below C. Higher-rent areas like London are more challenging under this calculation, since housing costs directly reduce the residual income being compared against C.
Risk: In high-cost areas, even a moderate income can fail the test due to high B figures. Savings may need to close a larger gap than expected.
Scenario: “My sponsor receives DLA but the rates are changing — what Income Support rate should we use?”
Direct answer: Use the Income Support rates in force at the date the Home Office makes its decision — not the date you apply.
Income Support rates are uprated each April. If your application is submitted in February but a decision is made in May (after the April uprating), the decision maker must use the new rates. In practice, this is difficult to predict — always use current rates when preparing the calculation, and check whether any uprating is imminent before submitting.
Risk: If rates go up between application and decision, C increases — making the test slightly harder to pass. Building a small buffer into the calculation is advisable near threshold cases.
Quick Answer — Real-World Scenarios
The adequate maintenance test is genuinely case-by-case. High housing costs make it harder; additional benefits like Child Tax Credit make it easier. Savings can close a gap but are divided across the full visa period. The Income Support rates used are those at the date of the decision, not the application.
13. The MySpouseVisa.com Adequate Maintenance Frameworks
🔴 The London Squeeze
The adequate maintenance test is significantly harder to pass in high-cost areas — particularly London. The reason is mathematical: Component B (housing costs) is deducted from income before comparing against C, and London rents can consume a large proportion of any income. A family with a moderate income that would comfortably pass the test in Leeds or Manchester can fail it in London purely because their rent is £400 per week rather than £150. The Income Support benchmark (Component C) is the same nationally — it doesn’t adjust for regional housing costs. Families in high-cost areas may need significantly more in savings to close the gap that housing costs create.
The lesson: In high-cost areas, run the full calculation with actual housing costs before assuming the adequate maintenance route is available. The shortfall — if any — translates directly into a savings requirement using the divisor formula.
🔴 The Benefits Advantage
Most applicants assume the adequate maintenance route is more difficult than the standard one because it has no fixed threshold they can clearly aim for. In practice, for families with lower incomes but receiving multiple benefits, the adequate maintenance route can be considerably easier to meet than the standard £29,000 threshold. Child Tax Credit, Child Benefit, and the qualifying disability benefit itself can all be included in Component A — benefits that are entirely excluded from the standard route calculation. A family earning £15,000 gross that would fail the standard route by a wide margin can pass the adequate maintenance test if their combined net income including benefits is sufficient after housing costs.
The lesson: Don’t write off the adequate maintenance route because it looks complicated. For families receiving multiple qualifying benefits, the effective threshold can be lower — and more achievable — than £29,000.
14. Martin Taggart’s Practical Insight
The adequate maintenance route is one of the most misunderstood aspects of spouse visa applications. I regularly speak to sponsors who receive PIP or DLA and assume this means they are exempt from any financial requirement. They aren’t — the exemption is from the fixed £29,000 threshold, not from demonstrating financial self-sufficiency. The adequate maintenance test still needs to be passed, and passing it requires just as careful preparation as the standard route.
The most common mistake I see is the calculation being done on rough numbers. A family will say “we earn about £300 a week net and pay about £150 in rent and bills — so we have about £150 left, which seems like enough.” But housing costs for this test mean rent and council tax only — not all bills. And the C figure they need to beat is a precise Income Support rate that changes each April and varies by family size. A rough estimate gives false confidence. The calculation needs to be done precisely, using the current rates and actual figures, before you decide whether this route is viable.
The second thing I always check is whether there is a choice of routes. Where a sponsor receives PIP but also earns well above £29,000, running both calculations usually reveals that the standard route is simpler to evidence and carries less risk of a caseworker query. When both routes pass, the standard route’s predictability is often preferable.
Still Have Questions About Your Specific Situation?
The adequate maintenance calculation is genuinely case-specific. If your income is close to the threshold, or if you’re unsure which route applies, Martin Taggart offers a fixed-fee initial assessment of your position against the current rules.
15. Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is the adequate maintenance test?
The adequate maintenance test is an alternative to the standard £29,000 income threshold. It applies where the UK sponsor receives a qualifying disability or armed forces benefit. The test uses the formula A − B ≥ C: weekly net income minus housing costs must equal or exceed the Income Support equivalent for the household size.
Q2: Who qualifies to use the adequate maintenance test?
Only sponsors who are currently receiving one of the specified qualifying benefits — including PIP, DLA, Carer’s Allowance, Attendance Allowance, Armed Forces Independence Payment, and others listed in Appendix FM. It is not an option for sponsors who do not receive one of these benefits.
Q3: Is the adequate maintenance test easier than the £29,000 requirement?
It depends entirely on the family’s circumstances. For families with multiple benefit income sources and modest housing costs, it can be easier. For families in high-rent areas or with low incomes and few additional benefits, it can be harder. There is no universal answer — the calculation must be done for each specific case.
Q4: Can Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit count in the calculation?
Yes — Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit can both be included in Component A under the adequate maintenance route. They cannot be counted under the standard £29,000 route.
Q5: What Income Support rates should I use?
The rates in force at the date of the Home Office’s decision — not the date you submit the application. Rates are uprated each April. Always use the most current rates when preparing your calculation and verify them against the official DWP benefit rates schedule.
Q6: Do housing costs include utility bills?
No. Component B includes rent or mortgage payments and council tax only. Gas, electricity, water, broadband and other utility bills do not count as housing costs for this calculation.
Q7: Can I use savings to meet the adequate maintenance test?
Yes. Qualifying cash savings are divided by the number of weeks of leave to be granted (143 for entry clearance, 130 for FLR(M), 52 for ILR, 26 for fiancé visa) to give a weekly contribution to Component A. All qualifying savings count — not just those above £16,000.
Q8: What evidence do I need to provide?
Benefit award letter confirming the qualifying benefit is in payment, at least 6 months of bank statements, payslips and employer letter (if employed), evidence of other benefit income, tenancy agreement or mortgage statement, council tax bill (or exemption evidence), and — if using savings — 6 months of savings account statements. Include a written breakdown of the A − B ≥ C calculation.
Q9: Is adequate maintenance required at extension and ILR stages?
Yes, if the sponsor still receives the qualifying benefit at those stages. If the benefit has stopped, the standard financial requirement of £29,000 would apply instead — the route is tied to the sponsor’s current benefit status, not just their initial application.
Q10: Could the adequate maintenance test change?
The Migration Advisory Committee’s June 2025 review recommended replacing the current test with a simplified housing suitability check for benefit-receiving families. As of June 2026 the Government has not implemented this recommendation. This guide will be updated if and when any change is announced.
Related Topics on MySpouseVisa.com
- UK Spouse Visa: The Complete Guide
- UK Spouse Visa Financial Requirement: Full Guide
- Using Savings for Your Spouse Visa: Complete Guide
Note: Links to /spouse-visa-self-employed/ and other cluster pages will be added here as those pages are published.
References and Official Sources
- GOV.UK — Home Office: Family Migration: Appendix FM and Adult Dependent Relative — Adequate Maintenance and Accommodation (updated 11 November 2025)
- UK Immigration Rules — Appendix FM: paragraphs E-ECP.3.3 and E-LTRP.3.3
- UK Immigration Rules — Appendix FM-SE: paragraph 12B (savings divisors)
- Free Movement — What is the adequate maintenance and accommodation requirement? (2026/27 Income Support rates)
- Upper Tribunal — Ahmed v Bangladesh [2013] UKUT 84 (IAC) — confirmed the A − B ≥ C calculation methodology
- Migration Advisory Committee — Family Route: Financial Requirements Review (June 2025)
- GOV.UK — Income Support — current rates
This page was last reviewed by Martin Taggart, Solicitor, in June 2026. Next scheduled review: September 2026.