SA302 vs Tax Year Overview: what mortgage lenders actually need
Apply for a mortgage while self-employed and you'll almost certainly be asked for two things per year: an SA302 and a Tax Year Overview. People often assume they're the same document under two names. They're not, and sending only one usually gets the request bounced back.
The short version
| SA302 (tax calculation) | Tax Year Overview | |
|---|---|---|
| Shows | How your tax bill was calculated from your income | The tax charged and what you paid |
| Comes from | Your filed return | Your HMRC account statement |
| Answers | "What did they declare?" | "Does it match HMRC's records?" |
Why lenders want both
The SA302 proves the level of income you declared and how the tax on it was worked out. On its own, though, a calculation could in theory be edited or come from a return that was later amended. The Tax Year Overview is the cross-check: it's HMRC's own statement of the tax charged and paid for that year. When the two agree, the lender knows the declared income is genuine and settled. That's why lenders ask for both, usually for the last two or three years. What each lender accepts is covered in SA302s for a mortgage.
Where each one comes from
SA302: if you filed online with HMRC, print it from your account under Self Assessment, then "More details about your Self Assessment returns and payments". If an accountant filed using commercial software, the equivalent tax calculation prints from their software and is accepted by mainstream lenders.
Tax Year Overview: this always comes from your HMRC online account, in the same Self Assessment section. Our guide to what a Tax Year Overview is shows what it contains and how to download it. You can produce it whether you filed yourself or through an accountant, because it's drawn from your account rather than your software.
The figures should match, mostly
The "total tax due" on the SA302 should match the Tax Year Overview for the same year. If they don't, the usual culprit is timing: the return was amended after it was first filed, or you're looking at different years. Lenders are trained to spot a mismatch, so it's worth checking they agree before you send them. A quick way to reassure yourself the SA302 figure is sensible is to reproduce it with our estimator: enter the same income and the taxable total and tax due should be in the same ballpark.
How far back, and how recent
Most lenders want the two or three most recent completed tax years. A few will work with one year plus a projection from your accountant, but two years is the safe expectation. The tax year runs to 5 April, and you can usually get the SA302 and Tax Year Overview a few days after you've filed the return for that year. So if a mortgage is on the horizon, filing earlier rather than at the January deadline gives you the paperwork sooner.
Before you apply
Get both documents for each year, check the totals match, and make sure your name and Unique Taxpayer Reference are visible. If you want to understand the numbers on them first, our guides on how the tax is calculated and what an SA302 is break it down line by line.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Tax Year Overview the same as an SA302?
No. They are two different documents that lenders usually ask for together. The SA302 is the tax calculation produced from the return you filed and shows how the tax was worked out. The Tax Year Overview comes from HMRC's own record of your account and shows the tax due and what has been paid against it.
Do mortgage lenders need both documents?
Usually yes. The SA302 shows the income you declared and the lender uses it to assess affordability; the Tax Year Overview independently confirms the same figures from HMRC's records. Sending only one is the most common reason a self-employed mortgage application gets delayed.
How many years of SA302s do I need for a mortgage?
Most lenders want the two or three most recent completed tax years. Some will accept one year plus a projection from an accountant, but two years is the safe expectation.
What if the two documents show different figures?
The usual cause is timing: the return was amended after it was first filed, or the two documents cover different tax years. Check the year on each before you send them, because lenders are trained to spot a mismatch and will query it.
How soon after filing can I get them?
Typically a few days after the return is filed and processed. If a mortgage application is coming up, filing early rather than at the January deadline gets the paperwork into your hands sooner.