Big question!
As I understand it (and as the Appendix FM:SE still states), applicants can apply under Category A or Category B. Of course, Cat. A is for those employed continuously by the same employer for 6 or more months, and under Cat. A one need only produce evidence covering those 6 months, showing 9,300 or more in earnings in that period. Cat. B is for those with employment for less than 6 months, or who otherwise don't meet the financial requirement based on 6 months alone, and will have to provide evidence for 12 months, showing 18,600 or more in earnings in those 12 months. I know senior members will roll their eyes at this haha but I just want to write it out clearly for anyone reading as green as I am.
Here's where it gets confusing.. for me anyway. The application DOES NOT ask about Category A or Category B. It asks if "they have been employed by the same employer for the last 6 months prior to the application. Upon answering "Yes" ( I don't know what happens if you answer "No"), you are asked "What do they earn?" with options of, "Same amount continuously above the financial requirement amount", "Same amount continuously below the requirement amount", "Not the same amount continuously, above the required amount", and "Not the same amount, below the required amount"
Now, my sponsoring wife earns the same amount in monthly pay, that amount is just above the 1550 cut off (if salaried), as she has a fixed number of hours a week (40). However, she is also paid for overtime and various other payments which some months put her a few hundred up.
If I answer that she earns 'the same amount continuously, above the required amount', then it doesn't ask for any further employment or financial documents details, it just moves me right along to giving the employer contact. It does ask if there's anything else I'd like to say about the application, but that's it.
If I answer that she earns "not the same amount continuously, above the required amount", then I am taken to a different page entirely than had I answered in the above way. Instead I am to tick boxes affirming that I'll provide the following as evidence, "Payslips covering any period of salaried employment (current and previous) in the period of 12 months prior to the date of application" (exact words); a Letter of Employment with the same guidelines as given in the Specified Evidence (they now split confirmation of employment and confirmation of salary into separate lines so now a total of 5 bullet points); and Bank Statements corresponding to the payslips.
Now what is confusing, is that I am inclined that the page which asks about all this evidence is what I want, as we are submitting those things, except that, I/we are providing 7 months of payslips, and it asks about any period in the 12 months prior to the application. Which makes me think that this is Category B.
Does anyone know what exactly is meant here? Does my wife earn the same amount, or not the same amount, and why is it the case that if I say she does not earn the same amount, I am asked about providing evidence which I would think is still required even if I had answer that she earns "the same amount"? And finally, why is it that it asks about Payslips from any period in 12 months from current and any previous employers, which sounds an awful lot like Category B?
Argh!! Is the new application more, or less, opaque than before? I looked at the Appendix 2 previously and it seemed much clearer honestly.
EDIT: As another question, it also asks if I will be providing a P90 or a Signed contract of my wife's employment. I have a contract I can provide, but it is an original from last March. If I were to submit the employment contract, would it need to be dated within 28 days of the application date? Or is that strictly for the payslips, employment letter, bank statements, sponsor letter, homeowner letter (all of these are signed and dated)
