When making an application can we ask for a UK SV to be effective from a specific date? (ie NOT immediately / next week). ideally around 3 months after.

The reason being that despite what I should be able to prove to the Embassy I would prefer not to have her over here for a while for financial reasons. I would lprefer to change accomadation and because my business is not yet as established as I would like, do not really have the time to spend with her initially that I would prefer and also my income will be very much "Up and down" for the next few months or so, despite the paperwork showing a good enough income for Embassy, just not good enough for me / us. It IS cheaper to keep her in thailand and she has freinds and family their. Also, winter is coming!

Besides it will take a bit of organising to get her moved / me set up here, so don't really want to do everything, just in case the SV is refused.

Yes, when applying for the visa, you can ask them to postpone its effective date for at most 3 months. Just make sure that your request is not ignored.

Cheers.