Updated October 2026
UK Mortgage Affordability Index
As of October 2026, for a £50,000 earner the most generous mainstream lender's published maximum is about 34.8% higher than the least generous lender's: £300,000 against £222,500, a £77,500 difference based purely on each lender's published income multiple, for the same income, a 25% deposit and the same circumstances. Across all the income bands the average gap is about 35.1%.
See all our sourced figures in one place: UK Mortgage Affordability Statistics 2026 →
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average gap between the most and least generous lender on the same income
the typical income-multiple range across mainstream lenders
widest cash gap found, at the £100,000 income band
Maximum borrowing by income band (October 2026)
Each row shows the lowest, median and highest maximum loan offered by leading UK lenders to a single employed applicant on that income, with a 25% deposit (75% LTV), over a 25-year term with no other debts — and the cash gap between the most and least generous.
| Income | Lowest | Median | Highest | Multiple range | Most generous | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £20,000 | £89,000 | £89,800 | £120,000 | 4.45×–6× | Cumberland BS | £31,000 |
| £25,000 | £111,300 | £112,300 | £150,000 | 4.45×–6× | Cumberland BS | £38,700 |
| £30,000 | £133,500 | £134,700 | £180,000 | 4.45×–6× | Cumberland BS | £46,500 |
| £35,000 | £155,800 | £157,200 | £210,000 | 4.45×–6× | Cumberland BS | £54,200 |
| £40,000 | £178,000 | £179,600 | £240,000 | 4.45×–6× | Cumberland BS | £62,000 |
| £45,000 | £200,300 | £213,800 | £270,000 | 4.45×–6× | Cumberland BS | £69,700 |
| £50,000 | £222,500 | £250,000 | £300,000 | 4.45×–6× | Cumberland BS | £77,500 |
| £55,000 | £244,800 | £275,000 | £330,000 | 4.45×–6× | Bath BS and Cumberland BS | £85,200 |
| £60,000 | £267,000 | £300,000 | £360,000 | 4.45×–6× | Aldermore and 2 others | £93,000 |
| £65,000 | £289,300 | £325,000 | £390,000 | 4.45×–6× | Aldermore and 2 others | £100,700 |
| £70,000 | £314,300 | £350,000 | £420,000 | 4.49×–6× | Aldermore and 2 others | £105,700 |
| £75,000 | £336,800 | £412,500 | £450,000 | 4.49×–6× | Aldermore and 5 others | £113,200 |
| £80,000 | £359,200 | £440,000 | £480,000 | 4.49×–6× | Aldermore and 5 others | £120,800 |
| £90,000 | £404,100 | £495,000 | £540,000 | 4.49×–6× | Aldermore and 5 others | £135,900 |
| £100,000 | £449,000 | £550,000 | £650,000 | 4.49×–6.5× | HSBC Premier | £201,000 |
Figures are each lender's published affordability / income-multiple position as of October 2026, across all 20 lenders we model per income band (HSBC Premier and HSBC's standard range are modelled separately), each at its best published loan-to-value band. Cumberland BS's 6× at any income applies up to 80% LTV and is subject to its affordability check, which will often cut it at lower incomes. Indicative only and subject to each lender's full criteria and credit assessment.
Why the same income produces such different offers
The single biggest driver is the income multiple. The least generous mainstream lenders sit around 4.45× income, but a handful stretch much further:
- HSBC Premier6.5×
- NatWest6.0×
- Nationwide6.0×
- Barclays6.0×
- Aldermore6.0×
- Cumberland BS6.0×
Beyond the headline multiple, lenders differ on how they treat overtime, bonus and commission, self-employed and contractor income, and existing credit commitments — which is why lenders' maximums for the same person can differ by tens of thousands of pounds. See how much you could borrow across 57 lenders.
Methodology
- Source: each lender's published income-multiple (loan-to-income) ceiling from their intermediary lending criteria, as of October 2026 — reflecting the 2025 relaxation of the regulatory limit on high-LTI lending.
- Scenario: single employed applicant, 25-year repayment term, a 25% deposit (75% LTV), no dependants and no additional debts. Several lenders offer their higher multiples only at lower LTVs: at 90–95% LTV many fall back to about 4.45–4.49×, and a few to 4.0×, so medians are lower with a 5–10% deposit. A few lenders keep higher multiples at 95% LTV, for example Cumberland BS at 6× from £40,000 outside London and the South East. Every lender in our income-multiple model, all 20 high-street and specialist lenders (HSBC Premier and HSBC's standard range are modelled separately), is included at each income band.
- Figures: "lowest", "median" and "highest" are the smallest, middle and largest maximum loan across those lenders for that income. The gap is the cash difference between highest and lowest.
- Updated: reviewed periodically; the date above is when the data was last updated.
General information, not a personal recommendation. Borrowing figures are indicative, vary by individual circumstances, and are subject to each lender's full lending criteria, affordability assessment and credit checks. Always confirm current figures with the lender, or a mortgage adviser, before relying on them.
Frequently asked questions
How much more will the most generous UK lender lend than the least generous?
As of October 2026, the gap between the most and least generous mainstream UK lender averages about 35.1% across income bands, and reaches 34.8% at a £50,000 income — where a borrower can get £222,500 or £300,000, a £77,500 difference — based purely on lender choice, for the same income, a 25% deposit and the same circumstances.
What income multiple do UK mortgage lenders use?
The least generous mainstream UK lenders cap lending at around 4.45× income, but the most generous reach 6× — and selected high-earner, professional or long-fix ranges go to 6.5×–7× for qualifying borrowers (for example HSBC Premier at 6.5×, and April Mortgages and Teachers' Building Society at 7×). The multiple a lender applies, and how it treats overtime, bonus and self-employed income, drives most of the difference in maximum borrowing.
See your own figure across 57 lenders
Run a free affordability check and see an estimate of how much each of 57 lenders could lend you — in about five minutes, with no credit search.
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