Before you start house-hunting, find out roughly how much a lender might offer. Enter your income and deposit, and the calculator estimates your borrowing using income multiples — plus the property price you could afford.
Income multiple estimate
Mortgage lenders start with an income multiple — typically 4 to 4.5 times your annual income — to set a maximum loan, then run a detailed affordability check against your spending, debts and a stress-test interest rate. The calculator estimates the first part: your borrowing and the property price your deposit supports.
On a £40,000 income at 4.5×, that's £180,000 of borrowing. Add a £20,000 deposit and you could buy a home worth around £200,000 — subject to passing the full affordability assessment.
Estimated borrowing at the typical 4.5× multiple:
| Income | Borrow (4.5×) | + £25k deposit |
|---|---|---|
| £30,000 | £135,000 | £160,000 |
| £40,000 | £180,000 | £205,000 |
| £55,000 | £247,500 | £272,500 |
| £75,000 (joint) | £337,500 | £362,500 |
Beyond income, lenders look at your existing credit commitments, childcare costs, the loan term and a stress-test rate. A lower loan-to-value can help. Once you have a target loan, check the monthly cost with the mortgage calculator, budget the stamp duty, and confirm the payment fits your take-home pay.
Most lenders offer around 4.5× your income — roughly £180,000. With a £20,000 deposit that supports a property of about £200,000, subject to affordability checks.
Usually 4 to 4.5 times your annual income, with some going to 5 or 5.5 times for higher earners or specific schemes. It depends on the lender, your outgoings and their affordability assessment.
Yes — your maximum price is your borrowing plus your deposit. A larger deposit also lowers your loan-to-value, which usually unlocks better rates and helps your affordability case.
No — it's an income-multiple estimate. The actual offer follows a full affordability check covering your spending, debts, credit history and a stress-test rate, so it can be higher or lower.
