For many athletes and entertainers, the biggest challenge in securing a mortgage isn’t affording the repayments—it’s proving their income in a way that satisfies lenders. While a banker may find comfort in a steady PAYE salary with monthly payslips, the financial reality for a world-class musician, actor, or footballer often looks very different. Sponsorship deals arrive in lump sums, royalties trickle in years after the work was created, and residuals fluctuate with audience demand.

In 2025, lenders are more cautious than ever about non-standard income. That doesn’t mean mortgages are out of reach. It does mean borrowers must be strategic about how they present their earnings, and they must work with advisers who understand both the complexity and the opportunity of unconventional cash flow.

This blog explores how athletes and entertainers can transform sponsorships, royalties, and residuals into borrowing power—and how Willow helps make complex income count in the eyes of lenders.

Why traditional underwriting fails for non-traditional earners

Mainstream lenders are set up to evaluate simple, predictable income streams: salaries, bonuses, dividends, pensions. That works well for conventional professionals but fails spectacularly when tested against the reality of an international entertainer or elite athlete.

Imagine a chart-topping musician whose latest album produced £1.2 million in royalties in the first year, followed by a long tail of declining payments over the next decade. Or a footballer with a £200,000 sponsorship deal that pays annually for as long as he remains in the Premier League. These are legitimate and valuable sources of income, but they don’t look “safe” on paper to a high street underwriter.

Traditional affordability models apply harsh “discounts” to irregular income. A bank might only accept 50% of a sponsorship contract’s value, or ignore residuals altogether because they can’t be predicted with certainty. That conservative approach leaves high-profile clients appearing less creditworthy than they actually are.

Private banks and specialist lenders: a different perspective

The solution often lies in the private banking world, where lenders are accustomed to dealing with unusual profiles. As we explained in Private Bank Mortgages Explained: Benefits and Drawbacks, private banks don’t just look at payslips. They assess wealth holistically, factoring in assets under management, investment portfolios, and contract history.

For athletes, this might mean using the value of a sponsorship contract to support borrowing, provided it is backed by a reputable brand and has a clear duration. For entertainers, it could involve securitising royalties—borrowing against the future income stream of a catalogue or back catalogue, much like a company might borrow against receivables.

In both cases, private banks focus on credibility, consistency, and overall wealth, rather than dismissing non-standard income out of hand.

The rise of catalogue finance and royalty-backed borrowing

One of the most significant shifts in recent years is the increasing willingness of lenders to treat intellectual property as a bankable asset. Music catalogues, film royalties, even gaming residuals have become recognised sources of long-term income. Investors buy them, funds securitise them, and lenders are starting to underwrite against them.

For a songwriter whose career earnings may look “lumpy” year to year, this is transformative. Instead of showing a scatter plot of inconsistent royalties, the borrower can present audited catalogue performance and a forecast from a reputable royalty administrator. Lenders then treat the catalogue as an asset in itself—either as income support or as collateral for securities-backed lending, a route we’ve covered in Securities Backed Lending in 2025: The Definitive Guide for HNW Borrowers, Developers, and Advisers.

This is particularly relevant for entertainers whose careers may be front-loaded: heavy earnings in their 20s and 30s, followed by a slower but steady income stream long after they leave the stage or screen.

Sponsorship deals: turning short-term contracts into long-term approval

Athletes face a unique dilemma. Sponsorship contracts often match their playing career, not their mortgage term. A sprinter might have a four-year deal with a sportswear giant, but a 25-year mortgage requires far longer visibility of repayment ability.

Here, the structuring of protection is critical. Income protection policies that secure earnings in case of injury, or career-ending insurance, can provide lenders with reassurance that short contracts won’t collapse affordability. As highlighted in Protection for Athletes & Entertainers: Safeguarding Mortgages in 2025, underwriting risk is as much about “what if” scenarios as it is about current cash flow.

With proper cover in place, banks are often willing to take a forward view, extending lending beyond the contract horizon.

Residuals: when the long tail of income works in your favour

Actors and musicians often live on residuals—those smaller payments that flow months or years after the original performance. For lenders, residuals are difficult to forecast, but when aggregated over a long period, they can provide a stable income stream.

The key is presentation. By working with accountants to compile audited statements of historical residuals, borrowers can demonstrate consistency. Ten years of regular, albeit modest, payments tell a story of reliability. For mortgage underwriting, that can be as powerful as a current blockbuster hit.

A practical illustration

Consider a retired footballer who now earns £400,000 annually from a mix of sponsorship renewals, speaking engagements, and media rights. The income arrives irregularly, but over the last five years his earnings have remained broadly stable.

A high street lender would dismiss most of this income. A private bank, however, structures the borrowing differently. Sponsorship contracts are assessed for brand stability and renewal likelihood, residuals are backed by historic payment flows, and overall wealth is considered, including property assets and a securities portfolio. With protection insurance integrated, the client secures a £3 million mortgage at 65% LTV on a prime London property.

The message is clear: complexity, when properly documented, can become strength.

Why borrower narrative matters as much as numbers

Underwriting is never just numbers on a page. For high-profile clients, it’s about narrative. Lenders want to know not only what you earn, but how reliable it is, how it’s structured, and what happens if circumstances change.

That’s why working with a broker matters. At Willow, we don’t just forward raw documents; we create a lender-ready narrative. Sponsorship contracts are positioned alongside protection policies, royalties are supported by catalogue valuations, and residuals are backed by tax filings. The complexity remains, but it’s reframed as stability, longevity, and credibility.

Looking ahead: complex income in the mortgage market of 2025

As the financial industry evolves, the value of intellectual property and brand capital is only going to increase.

Athletes and entertainers who take the time to document, structure, and protect their complex income today will find borrowing power tomorrow.

At Willow, we believe this is one of the defining frontiers of lending for high-profile clients. Where high street lenders see noise, private banks and specialist lenders are learning to see patterns. And for borrowers, that means opportunities to secure the homes and investments they want, without being penalised for the unconventional way they earn.

📞 Do you rely on sponsorships, royalties, or residuals?

Book a confidential strategy call with Willow. We’ll show you how to translate complex income into approvals—and make lenders see the stability behind the numbers.