Mortgage Brokers List
How much can I borrow?
Estimate how much you could borrow from your salary (and a partner's), the property price your deposit puts in reach, and what the mortgage would cost each month. Most lenders lend 4 to 4.5 times income.
How lenders work out what you can borrow
Lenders don't simply multiply income. FCA responsible-lending rules require them to assess whether you can afford the mortgage, taking account of your income and committed spending, and to consider how payments would cope if interest rates rose over at least the first five years (FCA Handbook, MCOB 11.6). The income multiple is the ceiling; the affordability assessment decides where you land beneath it. Two people with the same salary can be offered very different amounts.
In practice the assessment has three parts:
- Income the lender will count. Basic salary counts in full. Regular overtime, commission and bonuses are usually counted at 50–100% depending on the lender and how long you've received them. Self-employed income is normally taken from the last two years' accounts or SA302 tax calculations, often averaged, though some lenders accept one year.
- Committed spending. Loan and card repayments, car finance, childcare, maintenance payments and other regular commitments are deducted before the lender tests what's left against the mortgage payment. Each £100 a month of commitments typically removes several thousand pounds of borrowing.
- Stress test. The lender checks the payment at a higher rate than the one you'd start on, so a mortgage that looks affordable today still works if your deal ends and rates have risen.
How much can I borrow on my salary?
Most lenders lend up to 4 to 4.5 times income; some go to 5 or 5.5 times for higher earners, certain professions or large deposits. The table shows the ceiling at each multiple before the affordability check, and what the 4.5 × mortgage would cost a month at 4.5% over 25 years.
| Salary | 4 × | 4.5 × | 5 × | Monthly payment (4.5 ×) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £20,000 | £80,000 | £90,000 | £100,000 | £500 |
| £25,000 | £100,000 | £112,500 | £125,000 | £625 |
| £30,000 | £120,000 | £135,000 | £150,000 | £750 |
| £35,000 | £140,000 | £157,500 | £175,000 | £875 |
| £40,000 | £160,000 | £180,000 | £200,000 | £1,000 |
| £45,000 | £180,000 | £202,500 | £225,000 | £1,126 |
| £50,000 | £200,000 | £225,000 | £250,000 | £1,251 |
| £60,000 | £240,000 | £270,000 | £300,000 | £1,501 |
| £70,000 | £280,000 | £315,000 | £350,000 | £1,751 |
| £80,000 | £320,000 | £360,000 | £400,000 | £2,001 |
| £100,000 | £400,000 | £450,000 | £500,000 | £2,501 |
Why lending above 4.5 × income is limited
Mortgages at 4.5 times income or more count as "high loan-to-income" lending, and the Bank of England keeps them to about 15% of new owner-occupier mortgages across the market. Until now each lender also had to stay under 15% of its own lending. From 28 October 2026 that firm-level cap goes: individual lenders can do more high-LTI lending as long as the market as a whole stays around 15%, and they may be asked to scale back if it doesn't (PRA and FCA, PS19/26, 14 October 2026). The 4.5 × threshold itself hasn't changed. Expect some lenders to offer 5 × and above more widely; plan around 4 to 4.5 × unless a broker finds you a lender that will go higher.
Three worked examples
| Situation | Income counted | At 4.5 × | With deposit | LTV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single applicant, £45,000 salary, £30,000 deposit | £45,000 | £202,500 | Price up to £232,500 | 87% |
| Couple, £35,000 + £28,000, £40,000 deposit | £63,000 | £283,500 | Price up to £323,500 | 88% |
| Same couple with £350/month car finance and nursery fees | £63,000 less commitments | Typically £240,000–£260,000 | Price up to roughly £290,000 | 86% |
The third row is the one the multiple alone can't show you: the income hasn't changed, but the lender's affordability model deducts the commitments first. A broker can run your actual figures through several lenders' calculators before you apply; see the find-a-broker guide.
How much can I borrow with my deposit?
The deposit doesn't change how much a lender will lend against your income, but it adds directly to the price you can pay and lowers your loan-to-value, which decides the rates you're offered. On a £45,000 salary at 4.5 × (£202,500):
| Deposit | Price in reach | Loan-to-value |
|---|---|---|
| £10,000 | £212,500 | 95% |
| £20,000 | £222,500 | 91% |
| £30,000 | £232,500 | 87% |
| £50,000 | £252,500 | 80% |
| £75,000 | £277,500 | 73% |
| £100,000 | £302,500 | 67% |
Rates usually step down at 90%, 85%, 75% and 60% loan-to-value, so a deposit that crosses one of those lines is worth more than its size suggests. Stamp duty and fees also come out of your savings; first-time buyers pay none up to £300,000 (stamp duty calculator).
How much can we borrow for a joint mortgage?
Lenders add both incomes and apply the multiple to the total, after deducting both applicants' commitments. Some lenders accept three or four applicants, and a few use a lower multiple for the second income.
| Incomes | Combined | 4 × | 4.5 × |
|---|---|---|---|
| £25,000 + £25,000 | £50,000 | £200,000 | £225,000 |
| £30,000 + £20,000 | £50,000 | £200,000 | £225,000 |
| £35,000 + £28,000 | £63,000 | £252,000 | £283,500 |
| £40,000 + £40,000 | £80,000 | £320,000 | £360,000 |
| £50,000 + £30,000 | £80,000 | £320,000 | £360,000 |
| £60,000 + £45,000 | £105,000 | £420,000 | £472,500 |
Both applicants are equally responsible for the whole debt, and one partner's credit problems affect the application. If one of you is on a lower income or has adverse credit, see the joint mortgages guide.
What changes the answer
- Deposit size. A bigger deposit lowers the loan-to-value, which unlocks cheaper rates and, at some lenders, higher multiples. Check yours with the LTV calculator. A gift from family is usually acceptable with a signed letter; see the gifted deposit guide.
- Two incomes. Joint applications add both incomes but also both sets of commitments. Joint borrower sole proprietor arrangements let a parent's income count without them owning the property; see joint mortgages.
- Credit history. Missed payments, defaults or a CCJ in the last six years narrow the lender pool and may reduce the multiple; see credit score and mortgages.
- Term. A longer term lowers the monthly payment, which can pass an affordability test a shorter term fails, at the cost of more total interest. Terms past retirement age need evidence of retirement income.
- Self-employment. Lenders read the accounts differently: some use net profit, some salary plus dividends, some add back depreciation. See self-employed mortgages.
Common questions
Is 4.5 times my salary the maximum?
No. It's the most common ceiling and the level at which the Bank of England's flow limit applies, but some lenders go to 5 or 5.5 times for borrowers who fit their criteria, and the affordability assessment can give you less than 4.5 times even where the multiple would allow more.
Does the calculator include my deposit?
The borrowing figure is the mortgage alone. The property price shown adds your deposit to it; stamp duty, legal fees and moving costs come on top, so keep some of the deposit back for those. The stamp duty calculator shows the tax for England and Northern Ireland.
Why did a lender's own calculator give a different number?
Each lender's calculator applies its own affordability model, including its stress rate and how it treats variable income. This page uses a plain multiple. Treat the lender figure as closer to a real offer; treat this one as a way to see what a deposit or a second income does to the range.
How much can a single person borrow for a mortgage?
The same multiples apply: 4 to 4.5 times your income, sometimes 5 or more. On £35,000 that's £140,000 to £157,500. Single applicants often reach a higher price through a larger deposit, a longer term, shared ownership, or a joint borrower sole proprietor mortgage with a family member.
How much mortgage can I get for £700 a month?
At 4.5% over 25 years, £700 a month repays about £126,000; at 5.5%, about £114,000. Try your own budget in the repayment calculator. A lender will also check that your income supports that loan.
Is it different in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?
No: lenders apply the same income multiples and affordability rules across the UK. What differs is the purchase tax: Land and Buildings Transaction Tax in Scotland and Land Transaction Tax in Wales instead of stamp duty.
Does a mortgage in principle tell me what I can borrow?
A decision or agreement in principle is a lender's indication based on a soft credit check and the figures you give. It's not an offer, and the full application can come in lower once documents are checked. It's useful for estate agents and for knowing you're searching in the right price band.
Sources checked 15 October 2026.
Other calculators
- Mortgage repayment calculator
- Stamp duty calculator
- Loan-to-value (LTV) calculator
- Mortgage overpayment calculator
- Interest-only calculator
- Buy-to-let stress test (ICR) calculator
- Remortgage vs product transfer calculator
Estimates only, not advice. These calculators do arithmetic on the numbers you enter. They don't check your credit file, apply a lender's affordability rules or know which products you qualify for. Nothing you type is stored or sent anywhere. For a figure you can act on, speak to an FCA-authorised mortgage adviser.