Can someone on PIP, DLA or Carer’s Allowance sponsor a UK spouse visa?
Yes — in most cases.If your UK sponsor receives Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, AFIP or a War Disablement Pension, the £29,000 minimum income requirement does not apply. Instead, the lower adequate maintenance test does. This free calculator checks whether your household meets it.
Reviewed by Humaira Anjum — immigration & litigation solicitor.
SRA #663190 · Admitted 2021 · Verify on SRA register
Quick reference
Weekly adequate-maintenance thresholds
Income Support rates — effective from 6 April 2026.
- Single applicant, 25 or over£95.55
- Single applicant, 18 to 24£75.65
- Couple (no children)£150.15
- Couple + 1 child£238.03
- Couple + 2 children£325.91
- Couple + 3 children£413.79
- Couple + 4 children (+£87.88 each beyond)£501.67
Income Support is closed to new claimants since UC migration, but its rates remain the legal benchmark for the adequate-maintenance test under KA (Pakistan) [2006].
Calculator
Run the test on your figures
Four questions. We’ll show you whether your household clears the adequate maintenance threshold, sits in the marginal zone, or falls short — with an honest read on what to do next.
Step 1 of 4 · Sponsor benefit gate
Does your UK sponsor receive any of these qualifying benefits?
Adequate maintenance only applies if at least one qualifying benefit is in payment to the sponsor.
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer's Allowance (paid to the sponsor for caring for a disabled person who themselves receives a qualifying benefit)
- Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP)
- War Disablement Pension
- Armed Forces Compensation Scheme — Guaranteed Income Payment
- Severe Disablement Allowance
- Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit paid with Constant Attendance Allowance
- Constant Attendance Allowance (standalone, under the War Pensions Scheme)
- Mobility Supplement (War Pensions Scheme)
Step 2 of 4 · Household
How many people will live in the UK household once the applicant arrives?
Count only the people who will share the home: the UK sponsor, the visa applicant, and any dependent children (including British citizen children). Adult relatives who live separately don’t count, even if they help financially. Children means anyone under 18 still living with you.
Step 3 of 4 · Income
Net household income (£)
Take-home pay after tax and National Insurance, plus the qualifying benefit itself (PIP, Carer’s Allowance, etc.) and any other regular income coming into the household.
Step 4 of 4 · Housing costs
Housing costs (£)
Rent or mortgage payments + council tax + essential utilities (gas, electricity, water) + buildings insurance + ground rent. Exclude broadband, TV, phone, subscriptions, gym, entertainment.
The basics
What is the adequate maintenance test?
The default financial test for a UK spouse or partner visa under Appendix FM is the £29,000 minimum income requirement (raised from £18,600 in April 2024). The sponsor must show this from employment, self-employment, or a combination of income and £88,500+ in cash savings.
The adequate maintenance route is the alternative when the UK sponsor is on certain benefits and the £29,000 figure would unfairly exclude families where one partner cannot work, or works limited hours, because of disability or caring responsibilities. The test was settled in KA (Pakistan) [2006] and AM (Ethiopia) [2008] and is now baked into Appendix FM-SE.
The maths are:
weekly net income − weekly housing costs ≥ Income Support rate for the household
If the result clears the Income Support line for that household composition, the test is met. If not, the application is usually refused on financial grounds — but that’s not the end. Third-party support, additional benefits the sponsor may be entitled to but not yet claiming, and savings drawdown can often bridge the gap.
Eligibility
Which benefits qualify the sponsor for this route
The sponsor must be in receipt of at least one of these on the date of application. The applicant doesn’t need a qualifying benefit — only the UK sponsor.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Attendance Allowance
Carer's Allowance (paid to the sponsor for caring for a disabled person who themselves receives a qualifying benefit)
Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP)
War Disablement Pension
Armed Forces Compensation Scheme — Guaranteed Income Payment
Severe Disablement Allowance
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit paid with Constant Attendance Allowance
Constant Attendance Allowance (standalone, under the War Pensions Scheme)
Mobility Supplement (War Pensions Scheme)
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Your Solicitor
Three SRA-regulated solicitors. Direct access.
Imran Shah
Immigration & Litigation Solicitor
Imran handles immigration and litigation cases that need methodical preparation and clear strategy.
SRA #509359
Humaira Anjum
Immigration & Litigation Solicitor
Humaira walks families through every stage of immigration and litigation matters with calm, careful guidance.
SRA #663190
Sannah Khatoon
Litigation & Housing Disrepair Solicitor
Sannah recovers damages and forces repairs in housing disrepair claims — usually on no win, no fee.
SRA #654258
Ready when you are
Want a solicitor to double-check your figures?
The calculator is indicative. A 15-minute call with Humaira Anjum will confirm whether the adequate maintenance route applies to your case and what evidence to put together. No obligation.
Last reviewed: June 2026 by Humaira Anjum (SRA #663190). Income Support rates as of April 2026. Page URL: https://www.abrahamssolicitors.co.uk/adequate-maintenance-calculator/.