Lenders size your mortgage on a multiple of your income — usually around 4.5 times salary. Enter your income, a deposit and an interest rate to see how much you could borrow, your property budget and the monthly cost.
Based on salary & income multiple
The starting point for almost every UK mortgage is an income multiple. Lenders typically cap total borrowing at around 4.5 times your annual income (or joint income for a couple), though some stretch to 5× for higher earners or large deposits, and a few offer 5.5×+ to certain professionals. On top of the multiple they run an affordability assessment — checking your regular outgoings, debts and childcare — and a stress test to make sure you could still pay if rates rose.
| Income | At 4.5× you could borrow |
|---|---|
| £30,000 | £135,000 |
| £40,000 | £180,000 |
| £50,000 | £225,000 |
| £40,000 + £30,000 joint | £315,000 |
Borrowing the maximum isn't always wise — the monthly payment has to fit your real budget after tax. See your take-home first on the salary calculator, then your repayments on the mortgage calculator, and weigh buying against renting on the rent vs buy calculator. Don't forget stamp duty — first-time buyers can use the first-time buyer stamp duty calculator.
At the typical 4.5 times income multiple, a £40,000 salary supports a mortgage of around £180,000. Add your deposit to get your property budget. Some lenders stretch to 5× for higher earners or big deposits, but they also check your outgoings and stress-test the rate.
Most UK lenders cap borrowing at about 4.5 times income, single or joint. Some offer up to 5× or 5.5× for higher earners, certain professionals or large deposits. The multiple is a ceiling — your actual offer also depends on outgoings and credit.
Usually yes. Lenders apply the income multiple to your combined income, so two salaries of £40,000 and £30,000 at 4.5× could support around £315,000 — more than either could borrow alone, subject to both applicants' outgoings and credit.
No. Beyond the multiple, lenders run a full affordability assessment of your regular spending, debts and dependants, and stress-test whether you could still afford the loan at a higher interest rate before agreeing the amount.
