Self employment grant

Hillfo

Hi 
I am new to this. I am a self employed some trader. I run a small care business and through the Covid situation I have had to pay four time’s as much for PPE ie a box of disposable gloves which used to cost me £4 per box are now costing me £20 a box. I have been really busy during the pandemic so didn’t think I had been affected but was advised to apply for the grant to cover costs of PPE. I received the first and second grant totalling approximately £2000.
i have been self employed for six years this year and my profits have been steadily rising each year.
i tried borrowing extra in my mortgage with Nat west last year but my accounts weren’t enough. I have worked my backside off this year to get my profits up, which I have, they have almost doubled to £17000. 

Feeling excited to have a review with Nat west and change my mortgage for a better deal, I was told that due to receiving the grant that is whagg try they would class as my earnings for the year x 4 meaning my total earnings would equate to £4000. 

First of all my invoices are paid into my Nat west account so it is clear to see what I have earned and secondly, my accounts ran from April 2019 to April 2020 so how can the class the grant, which I didn’t receive until August, as my earnings for the year.
i explained that no one could possibly live on £4000 per year and it’s ridiculous for them to say that.
i even looked into paying the grant back but they still insist that they would still class my earnings for the year at £4000. 

I have banked with Nat west for over fourty years and I feel totally let down. I am so perplexed as to how they can say this when it is clear what I am earning through my account. I was so
looking forward to borrowing on my mortgage for home improvements.
surely this cannot be right or fair. 

I knew the grants were classed as earnings and I would have to pay tax but not some earnings it just doesn’t make sense. Any help would be gratefully appreciated and are other banks doing the same?
tia 

Sheila 

eskbanker

Especially in the current climate, there are no guarantees that they'd be prepared to lend you more money for home improvements, or that they'd be willing to reconsider mortgage rates, etc, but if their decision-making process has been based on demonstrably flawed assumptions about relevant earnings then lodge a formal complaint with them and see where that takes you.

https://personal.natwest.com/personal/support-centre/how-to-complain.html

jonesMUFCforever

All I would add is complain away if you want to -- BUT if they do not want to lend to you then even winning the complaint will not change that.
However a decent mortgage broker might be able to get you a good deal - have you not considered this?
You do not have to stick with Nat West.