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Tier 1 (Entrepreneur)

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Scoring points for maintenance

This page explains how you can score points for maintenance (living expenses) under the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) category of the points-based system.

If you have enough money to cover your living expenses in the UK, you will score 10 points.

You must be able to support yourself throughout your stay in the UK. You will not have access to most state benefits (also known as 'public funds') during your stay. Therefore you must show that you have:

  • £3,100 in personal savings if you are applying from outside the UK; or
  • £800 in personal savings if you are applying from inside the UK before 14 June 2012; or
  • £900 in personal savings if you are applying from inside the UK on or after 14 June 2012.

If any of your savings are in overseas currency, we will calculate their value in pounds sterling using the exchange rate published on the OANDA website on your application date.

Your personal cash savings must:

  • have been in your bank account for 90 consecutive days before your date of application; and
  • be held in an account (including savings accounts and current accounts, even if you need to give notice to withdraw money from those accounts). Other accounts, shares, bonds, credit cards, pension funds or agreed overdraft facilities are not acceptable.
  • be held at a financial institution that can be verified by us. See the List of financial institutions which do not satisfactorily verify financial statements .

Your personal savings must not include:

  • money used as the basis of your points claim to have £200,000 in investment funds; or
  • earnings made from UK employment while you were in breach of the UK's immigration laws (because, for example, you were in an immigration category that did not allow you to work).

You will need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The Documents required section explains what you will need to send.

Any dependants who want to join you must also provide evidence that they have enough personal savings. See Applications by dependants for more information.