🏦 Which Mortgage Lenders Accept Overtime, Bonus & Commission in Ireland?
If you earn overtime, bonuses, commission or other variable income, the mortgage lender you choose can make a significant difference to how much you may be able to borrow.
Your basic salary is not necessarily the only income that can be considered when applying for a mortgage. A number of Irish mortgage lenders will take some form of overtime, bonus, commission, allowances or other variable income into account.
However, lenders do not all assess variable income in the same way.
One lender may use a percentage of your income, another may use an average over two or three years, while another may require a longer employment or income history.
This can be particularly important for public-sector employees, nurses, Gardaí, teachers, sales professionals and anyone whose earnings include a significant amount of overtime, bonus or commission.
📊 Which Mortgage Lenders Accept Overtime, Bonus & Commission?
The table below gives an indication of how a number of the main Irish mortgage lenders can treat variable income.
| Mortgage Lender | Overtime | Bonus | Commission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank of Ireland | 100% for public sector x 2 year average | 50% of 3-year average | 50% of 3-year average |
| Avant Money | Can be considered | 65% of a 3-year average | 65% of a 3-year average |
| Haven Mortgages | Up to 50% for non-guaranteed additional income | 50% of 3-year average | 50% of 3-year average |
| Núa Money | Can be considered | 65% for most recent year and 35% of previous year | 65% for most recent year and 35% of previous year |
| ICS Mortgages | 100% of regular overtime for eligible public-sector applicants | 50% of 1 year 75% average of 2 years | 50% of 1 year 75% average of 2 years |
| PTSB | 100% if 3 years public sector | 50% of most recent year (capped at 40% of basic salary) | 50% of most recent year (capped at 40% of basic salary) |
| MoCo | 100% of 2 year average for public sector | Up to 75% based on a 2-year average in applicable cases | Up to 75% based on a 2-year average in applicable cases |
Important: These percentages are indicative and can depend on the type of income, employment, length of service, previous earnings and the lender’s current lending criteria. They should not be treated as a guarantee that a lender will use that percentage in every application.
💰 Does Overtime Count Towards a Mortgage in Ireland?
Yes, overtime can count towards your mortgage with a number of Irish lenders.
The important question is how much of your overtime the lender will recognise.
For example, imagine your income is:
- Basic salary: €55,000
- Regular overtime: €10,000
- Total earnings: €65,000
If a lender only uses your basic salary, your mortgage assessment could be based on €55,000.
If the lender recognises some or all of your sustainable overtime, your assessable income could be considerably higher.
The lender may look at:
- How long you have been earning overtime
- Whether the overtime is regular
- Whether it is guaranteed
- Your previous year’s earnings
- Your current payslips
- Your Employment Detail Summaries
- Whether the overtime is likely to continue
This is why someone earning a significant amount of overtime should not assume that every mortgage lender will calculate their income in the same way.
🏥 Public Sector Overtime & Mortgages
Public-sector employees can be particularly affected by the way variable income is assessed.
Nurses, Gardaí, teachers, civil servants and other public-sector employees may receive:
- Overtime
- Shift allowances
- Weekend payments
- On-call payments
- Unsocial-hours payments
- Other contractual allowances
- Salary-scale progression
🏢 ICS Mortgages
ICS Mortgages is particularly notable for public-sector applicants.
They can lend up to 100% of regular overtime earned may be factored into the assessment, where the employer confirms that it is regular and included on the salary certificate.
ICS also has a public-sector mortgage offering that can take salary-scale progression into account.
This can make ICS an option worth considering where overtime and allowances make up a significant part of your income.
🏦 Bank of Ireland & Variable Income
Bank of Ireland can consider non-guaranteed income such as overtime, bonuses and commission where the income is sustainable and there is an established track record.
Bank of Ireland can potentially lend up to 100%, for public sectors and 50% for private for bonus and commission.
The exact treatment will depend on the income and the individual application.
📈 Avant Money & Bonus Income
Avant Money distinguishes between different types of additional income, including guaranteed, regular and irregular overtime and bonus income.
For applicants with a consistent history of variable income, figures of around 65% of a three-year average are used in certain mortgage assessments.
This can be useful for applicants whose bonus or overtime has been consistent over several years.
🏦 Haven Mortgages & Variable Income
Haven can consider additional income such as overtime, allowances and commission.
Haven can allowe up to 50% where that level can be evidenced as earned over the previous three years.
💼 Núa Money & Variable Bonus Income
Núa Money can be an interesting option for applicants who have variable income but may not have the same length of track record required by some other lenders.
For example, in certain circumstances a sole applicant with their first variable bonus after 12 months in employment may have 65% of the bonus recognised for lending purposes.
Núa can also use a 65%/35% weighted-average approach in certain circumstances where the latest bonus is higher than the previous year’s bonus.
This can potentially allow an applicant to maximise their borrowing compared with a lender that does not take the bonus into account.
The important point is that the treatment of bonus income can differ significantly between lenders.
💳 PTSB & Overtime, Bonus and Commission
PTSB specifically includes annual overtime, annual bonus and annual commission within its mortgage affordability calculator.
The amount of variable income that can ultimately be used will depend on PTSB’s assessment and the circumstances of the applicant. It is usually 50% of bonus and commission and capped at max of 40% of basic salary.
💶 MoCo & Bonus and Commission
MoCo can also consider variable income, including bonus and commission. MoCo can use a two-year average, with up to 75% recognised in applicable cases.
🧮 How Much Can Overtime, Bonus or Commission Add to Your Mortgage?
The impact of variable income can be substantial.
Imagine you earn:
Basic salary: €60,000
Overtime: €10,000
Bonus: €5,000
Commission: €5,000
Your total annual earnings are €80,000.
But a lender may not necessarily assess your mortgage using the full €80,000.
For example, one lender might use a percentage of your overtime, another may use an average of your bonus, and another may not recognise a particular type of variable income at all.
This can create a significant difference in your potential borrowing capacity.
That is why it is important to look at how a lender assesses your income, rather than simply looking at the mortgage interest rate.
You can also read our detailed guide:
Mortgage Repayment Capacity – How Much Can I Borrow?
📄 What Documents Are Needed for Overtime and Bonus Income?
If variable income forms an important part of your mortgage application, you will normally need to demonstrate your earnings over time.
Depending on the lender and your circumstances, this can include:
- Recent payslips
- Employment Detail Summaries
- Previous P60s
- Salary certificates
- Employment contracts
- Bonus statements
- Commission statements
- Evidence of overtime
- Employer confirmation
- Other supporting documentation
A consistent history is particularly important.
For example, if you have earned €10,000 of overtime every year for the last three years, it is easier to demonstrate a pattern than if you earned €10,000 for the first time last month.
🏦 How Park Financial Can Help With Variable Income
At Park Financial, we understand that your salary does not always tell the full story.
If you earn overtime, bonus, commission, allowances or other variable income, we can review your income profile and look at lenders that may be able to utilise that income as part of your mortgage assessment.
This can be particularly useful if:
- You work significant overtime
- You are in the public sector
- You receive regular bonuses
- You earn commission
- You receive shift allowances
- Your variable income has increased recently
- You have only recently started receiving bonus or commission
- One lender has previously excluded part of your income
Rather than simply applying to one bank and hoping that your variable income is accepted, we can look at your circumstances and identify the mortgage options that may make the best use of your sustainable income.
You can read more about our mortgage broker service here:
Mortgage Broker Ireland – Park Financial
🏥 Public Sector Mortgage Options
If you work in the public sector, your income can include several elements beyond your basic salary.
For example, a nurse may have:
Basic salary + overtime + night shift allowance + weekend payments
A Garda may have:
Basic salary + overtime + allowances
A teacher may have:
Basic salary + salary-scale progression + allowances
Understanding how each lender treats these elements can be important when calculating your potential mortgage.
Read our full guide:
Public Sector Mortgages in Ireland
🏠 First-Time Buyers With Variable Income
If you are a first-time buyer, variable income can be particularly important because it may affect your potential borrowing capacity.
The Central Bank’s mortgage measures generally allow first-time buyers to borrow up to four times gross income, subject to the applicable rules and lender assessment.
However, the question is what income the lender actually uses.
If one lender recognises more of your sustainable overtime or bonus than another, the difference can affect your maximum potential mortgage.
Read our guide:
First-Time Buyer Mortgage – Park Financial
⚠️ Don’t Assume Every Lender Treats Income the Same
One of the biggest mistakes applicants with variable income can make is assuming that every bank will calculate their earnings in the same way.
They don’t.
Two people with identical salaries and identical bonuses could potentially receive different lending outcomes depending on:
- Their employment
- Their income history
- The type of variable income
- The lender’s criteria
- Their existing commitments
- Their repayment capacity
- Their deposit
- Their overall financial circumstances
This is why comparing lenders can be particularly valuable when a significant proportion of your income comes from overtime, bonus or commission.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Does overtime count towards a mortgage in Ireland?
Yes. A number of Irish mortgage lenders can consider overtime when assessing mortgage affordability. The percentage recognised and the required track record can vary between lenders.
Which mortgage lenders accept overtime?
Bank of Ireland, Avant Money, Haven, Núa Money, ICS Mortgages, PTSB and MoCo can all consider overtime or other variable income, subject to their individual criteria.
Which mortgage lender is best for overtime?
There is no single best lender for everyone. ICS Mortgages can be particularly worth considering for eligible public-sector applicants because it currently allows 100% of regular overtime to be factored into its assessment where its requirements are met.
Does bonus income count towards a mortgage?
Yes, some lenders can include bonus income. The amount recognised can depend on the lender, your employment and your history of receiving the bonus.
Does commission count towards a mortgage?
Yes. Some mortgage lenders can consider commission income, although they may use an average or apply a percentage to the income rather than using 100% of your commission.
Can I get a mortgage with overtime but only one year of history?
Potentially. Some lenders may be more flexible than others where you have a shorter history of variable income. Your overall employment history and circumstances will also be important.
How many years of overtime do banks need?
This varies between lenders. Some may want two or three years of evidence, while others can assess the income differently depending on whether it is regular, guaranteed or sustainable.
Can bonus income increase my mortgage?
Potentially, yes. If a lender recognises part of your bonus as sustainable income, it can increase your assessable income and potentially your borrowing capacity.
Can commission increase how much I can borrow?
Potentially. If your commission is regular and can be evidenced, a lender may include some of it in your mortgage assessment.
Do public-sector employees get better treatment for overtime?
Some lenders have specific public-sector criteria that can be favourable for applicants with overtime and allowances. ICS Mortgages, for example, currently advertises 100% of regular overtime for eligible public-sector applicants.
What if one bank won’t accept my bonus?
It does not necessarily mean that no lender will accept it. Different lenders can have different approaches to variable income, so it may be worth comparing your circumstances across suitable lenders.
Can a mortgage broker help with overtime and commission?
Yes. A broker can review your income structure and help identify lenders that may be able to utilise your overtime, bonus, commission or allowances as part of their mortgage assessment.
Will Park Financial consider my overtime and bonus?
Park Financial can review your overall income profile, including overtime, bonuses, commission and allowances, and assess which available lender options may make appropriate use of your sustainable variable income.
📞 Speak to Park Financial About Your Mortgage
If overtime, bonus or commission makes up a significant part of your income, the lender you choose can matter.
At Park Financial, we can assess your individual circumstances and compare suitable mortgage options to help identify lenders that may be able to utilise your variable income.
Whether you are a first-time buyer, home mover, public-sector employee or someone earning commission or bonuses, we can help you understand your options before you apply.
Speak to Park Financial about your mortgage
