What evidence do I need for a gifted deposit?

A gifted deposit is money given to a homebuyer to help them buy a property, and lenders treat it differently from money you have saved yourself¹. The evidence they ask for is designed to answer three questions: is the money really a gift, where did it come from, and does the person giving it have any claim on the home?

In practice that means a signed letter from the giver, bank statements showing the money and its journey, and details about the giver themselves. Skipton Building Society says the giver will need to submit proof the deposit money is available in a UK-based account², and Santander says the checks may include bank statements covering the last 3 to 6 months, showing the money in the giver's account and where it came from³.

The rules are not identical between lenders. Some set out detailed criteria, others keep it brief, and a few place a cap on what percentage of a deposit can be gifted⁴. What follows is what the published guidance asks for, so you can gather it before a solicitor or lender requests it.

The gifted deposit letter: what it must say

The letter is the centrepiece of the evidence. Which? puts it simply: if you have been given the deposit as a gift, you will need a letter from whoever gave you the money⁸. RBS says both the solicitor and lender will want to see a signed letter from the parties gifting the money⁹.

Halifax sets out what a gifted deposit letter typically needs to include: your name and address, the name and address of the person giving the money, the relationship between you, the total amount of the gift, where the gift has come from, confirmation you will not have to pay it back, confirmation the giver will not have any stake in the property, and proof that the giver is financially stable and unlikely to face bankruptcy¹⁰.

Yorkshire Building Society lists a similar set: the giver's name, address and relationship to the mortgage applicant, the total amount of the gift, the source of the funds, and proof that the giver is financially solvent¹¹. Newcastle Building Society describes it as a signed confirmation by the giver stating their relationship to the applicant, the amount of money they wish to gift, that the gift does not need to be paid back, and that they will hold no legal charge over the property¹².

HSBC adds a further condition: the letter, organised by the solicitor or licensed conveyancer, needs to confirm the deposit is a non-refundable and unconditional gift and that no interest is claimed on the property¹³.

There is no single official template. Teachers Building Society describes the requirement as a short form signed by the donor verifying it is an unconditional gift, plus evidence of the source of the gift¹⁴. The practical approach is to cover every point the lender lists, in the giver's own words, signed and dated.

Proof of where the money comes from: bank statements and a UK account

A letter alone is rarely enough. Skipton says the evidence usually needs to be in the form of a letter for gifted deposits and bank statements showing where the money came from and how it was transferred². Newcastle Building Society notes the giver may also need to provide a bank statement, as proof of where the money has come from, as part of standard money laundering checks¹².

Nationwide says that where a gift has been received within the last 12 months, it will need to see statements showing where the money came from¹⁵. Santander describes the paper trail in more detail: there must be a clear paper trail showing the money being transferred from the giver to you, including the transfer from their bank account to yours and then to the solicitor³.

On timing, Santander says the checks may include bank statements covering the last 3 to 6 months³. Other lenders are less specific, asking only for statements showing where the money came from¹⁵. There is no market-wide period, so having several months of statements ready avoids a delay.

The UK account point matters. Skipton states the person gifting money for a house deposit will need to submit proof the deposit monies are available in a UK-based account⁷. Family Building Society makes the same requirement across its mortgage range, asking for evidence of the funds in a UK account and the giver's details, including name, date of birth and relationship to the applicants¹⁶. That wording appears on its residential, expat and joint borrower sole proprietor products alike¹⁷.

Details lenders ask for about the person giving the money

Lenders want to know who the giver is, not just that the money exists. Family Building Society asks for the giver's name, date of birth and relationship to the applicants¹⁶. Yorkshire Building Society asks for the giver's name, address and relationship to the mortgage applicant¹¹. Halifax asks for the same three items plus proof the giver is financially stable and unlikely to face bankruptcy¹⁰.

That last point is not a formality. If the giver is likely to need the money back, the gift starts to look like a loan, and the lender's affordability assessment changes. Which? notes that a parent may be required to sign a declaration that they have no legal interest in the property³⁰.

The giver's own circumstances therefore form part of the evidence. A giver who is borrowing to make the gift, or who has little financial cushion, is more likely to be asked for further detail. The documents requested are usually the giver's identification, their bank statements, and the signed letter.

The gift must not be repaid or give the giver a share in the home

This is the condition that separates a gift from a loan, and it runs through every lender's wording. Santander's My First Mortgage guidance says the family member or friend giving the money just needs to confirm that it is not repayable, there are not any conditions, and they will have no legal interest or claim over the home³¹.

Skipton sets out the full list of declarations: it is an unconditional and non-refundable gift, no interest is to be charged, no repayments are required, there are no rights, interests or claims in the property, there is no registered legal charge over the property, and the giver will not reside in the property now or in the future⁷. Halifax states plainly that the gift giver cannot have any stake in the home¹⁰.

Nottingham Building Society says you will usually need a signed letter confirming the gift and stating that the person giving the money has no financial interest in the property³². Yorkshire Building Society adds that the giver will not require any repayments to be made, will have no rights, interests or claims over the property, and will not hold any registered legal charge over it¹¹.

The residency point catches people out. Skipton states the person gifting money for a house deposit must not then reside in the property purchased⁷, and The Mortgage Lender says the donor cannot reside in the property³³. A giver who moves in could be seen as having an interest in the home, which contradicts the declaration they signed.

How your solicitor and lender check the gift

Both sides check, and they check separately. Yorkshire Building Society says you will need to tell both your lender and your solicitor if you receive a gifted deposit¹¹. RBS says both the solicitor and lender will want to see a signed letter from the parties gifting the money⁹.

The solicitor's interest is anti-money-laundering. Which? notes that the conveyancer might request bank statements as proof of the gift or loan as part of their money-laundering checks³⁰. Nationwide says that if you are applying for a mortgage with a gifted deposit, you will need to tell it, and it will ask you to show evidence of where the money is coming from and check you are not expected to pay it back³⁵.

The lender's interest is affordability and security. Which? warns that gifted deposits need to be properly documented to avoid raising red flags during the mortgage application process³⁶. Principality Building Society says everyone involved agrees to sign a form confirming the deposit is a gift³⁷.

A typical sequence looks like this:

1. The giver writes and signs the gifted deposit letter, covering every point the lender lists¹⁰.
2. The giver provides bank statements showing the money and its source³.
3. The money is transferred from the giver's account to yours, then to the solicitor³.
4. You tell both the lender and the solicitor that the deposit is a gift¹¹.
5. The solicitor carries out money-laundering checks on the funds³⁰.
6. The lender reviews the letter and statements before the mortgage completes³⁵.

If the lender concludes the money is really a loan, it will ask for evidence that you are not expected to pay it back⁴. Which? notes that some lenders place a cap on what percentage of a deposit can be gifted⁴. Where a gift cannot be evidenced as a gift, the application can stall, and in some cases the lender will treat the money as borrowed, which affects how much it will lend.

Where the rules differ and what to watch for

The requirements are set by each lender, so they vary. Family Building Society asks for evidence of the funds in a UK account and the giver's details across its products¹⁶. Skipton asks for proof the money is in a UK-based account⁷. Nationwide asks for statements showing where the money came from where the gift was received within the last 12 months¹⁵. Santander gives a 3 to 6 month statement range³. None of these is a market standard.

Two conditions appear widely enough to treat as near-universal: the gift must not be repayable, and the giver must not take a stake in the home³¹. The residency restriction is stated by Skipton and The Mortgage Lender⁷.

If a lender declines to accept a gift, or caps the proportion of the deposit that can be gifted⁴, the options are to use a different lender whose criteria fit, to reduce the gifted proportion by saving more yourself, or to look at a joint borrower sole proprietor arrangement, where the giver is on the mortgage but not on the title. That route is a different product with different evidence requirements, and it is worth comparing the two before committing.

Free, impartial guidance on buying a home is available from MoneyHelper, and the Financial Ombudsman Service can look at complaints about a lender's handling of an application. If money problems are part of the picture, debt advice charities offer free help.