Bespoke is not only a day-one shop: established contractors fit the same five rules, and the framework's clarity makes outcomes unusually predictable — a virtue in itself when certainty matters, as in chain-sensitive purchases.
Pricing is mainstream-respectable rather than table-topping, so the long-established clean case may find the rate leaders edging it; for the case with any history wrinkle, Bespoke's accessibility frequently wins the total comparison.
Qualifying contractors are assessed on contract-derived income — the gross rate annualised — with limited company, umbrella and agency structures all accommodated within the rules. Inside IR35 and umbrella engagements run on the gross-rate logic with the usual evidencing discipline: assignment schedules and rate confirmations packaged from the outset.
No minimum contract length applies to the engagement itself — shorter initial contracts, common in first engagements, do not disqualify, though remaining term and renewal prospects are weighed as everywhere..
The Bespoke contractor framework asks five things of an applicant, covering in essence: a current contract in place; a minimum income level derived from the contract; an appropriate contract structure (limited company, umbrella and agency arrangements accommodated); continuity or relevant background supporting the engagement; and standard credit and residency soundness. Meet the five, and the contractor policy applies — without the minimum-history and sector hurdles that gatekeep elsewhere.
The precise formulation of each rule is periodically refined, which is why we verify the current wording on every case rather than reciting a cached version — but the architecture has been stable: five clear tests in place of a criteria maze.
A well-prepared application gives underwriters a clearer picture of your contracting career. For day-one contractors, presenting your previous employed experience alongside your first contract helps demonstrate professional continuity and strengthens the overall case.
Provide your current contract showing the agreed gross rate, contract term, and engagement details.
No minimum contracting history is the rule that defines Bespoke’s place in the market. The employed engineer, consultant or developer who signs their first contract on Monday can, with the right packaging, be a qualifying applicant on Tuesday — the prior employed career providing the professional continuity the engagement needs.
This makes Bank of Ireland the standing comparison for every employment-to-contracting transition we advise on, alongside Aldermore and Hodge. Between the three, the choice turns on rate, structure fit and the live detail of each lender’s rules against the specific case.
Five clear criteria that define Bespoke’s contractor policy — covering the current contract, the income level it supports, the contract structure, the continuity or background behind it, and standard credit soundness. Meet the five and the policy applies, without minimum-history or sector hurdles. The precise wording is refined periodically, which we verify on every case.
With Bank of Ireland Bespoke, yes — no minimum contracting history applies, and a strong employed background in the same field provides the continuity the engagement needs. The first-contract case is exactly what the framework was built to accommodate, and it is one we place regularly.
Yes — limited company, umbrella and agency structures are all accommodated within the rules, with assessment on the gross contract or assignment rate where properly evidenced. The standard packaging discipline applies: rate confirmations from the outset, never payslips alone.
No minimum contract length applies — shorter initial engagements, common for new contractors, do not disqualify. Remaining term and renewal prospects are considered in the round, as at every lender, but the absence of a hard minimum is part of what makes the framework accessible.
Pricing is mainstream-respectable rather than table-topping — for the long-established clean case, the rate leaders may edge it. Bespoke’s value is accessibility and predictability: for the day-one case, the short-history case or the certainty-critical purchase, the total comparison frequently lands in its favour.