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Updated 27 August 2026

UK Mortgage Affordability Statistics 2026

The widest mainstream gap we measured in August 2026 is £293,931: a contractor on £450/day is offered £657,762 by Hodge Bank but £363,831 by Dudley Building Society — 81% more, with no change to income, deposit or circumstances.

53 statistics — 45 from our own lender data and 8 from official sources — each with a source link and an as-of date. Figures are quoted in the text, not in charts, so they can be read and cited as they are.

By Phillip Wakeling-Smith, Mortgage Adviser (CeMAP)Last updated: 27 August 2026

Same borrower, different lender: the Lender Lottery (August 2026)

  1. The widest mainstream gap we measured in August 2026 is £293,931: a contractor on £450/day is offered £657,762 by Hodge Bank but £363,831 by Dudley Building Society — 81% more, with no change to income, deposit or circumstances.

    Source: The Mortgage Lender Lottery (August 2026 engine run) · as of 2026-08-26

  2. Averaged over 8 standardised borrower personas, the most generous mainstream lender offers 61% more than the least generous for the same applicant.

    Source: The Mortgage Lender Lottery (August 2026 engine run) · as of 2026-08-26

  3. Joint applicants, £52,000 + £28,000: the most generous mainstream lender (Hodge Bank) offers £494,720 against £356,000 from the least generous (Metro Bank) — a £138,720 gap (39%) on identical circumstances (43 lenders returned a figure).

    Source: The Mortgage Lender Lottery (August 2026 engine run) · as of 2026-08-26

  4. Single first-time buyer, £30,000: the most generous mainstream lender (April Mortgages) offers £169,192 against £94,665 from the least generous (Family Building Society) — a £74,527 gap (79%) on identical circumstances (45 lenders returned a figure).

    Source: The Mortgage Lender Lottery (August 2026 engine run) · as of 2026-08-26

  5. Self-employed sole trader, £45,000: the most generous mainstream lender (Hodge Bank) offers £271,438 against £192,383 from the least generous (Family Building Society) — a £79,055 gap (41%) on identical circumstances (46 lenders returned a figure).

    Source: The Mortgage Lender Lottery (August 2026 engine run) · as of 2026-08-26

  6. Nurse, £35,000 basic plus shift enhancements: the most generous mainstream lender (Perenna) offers £260,400 against £172,900 from the least generous (Coventry Building Society) — a £87,500 gap (51%) on identical circumstances (46 lenders returned a figure).

    Source: The Mortgage Lender Lottery (August 2026 engine run) · as of 2026-08-26

  7. Single applicant, £60,000, with a satisfied CCJ: the most generous mainstream lender (Hodge Bank) offers £372,016 against £267,000 from the least generous (Metro Bank) — a £105,016 gap (39%) on identical circumstances (45 lenders returned a figure).

    Source: The Mortgage Lender Lottery (August 2026 engine run) · as of 2026-08-26

  8. Professional, £80,000: the most generous mainstream lender (Hodge Bank) offers £518,836 against £289,436 from the least generous (Dudley Building Society) — a £229,400 gap (79%) on identical circumstances (41 lenders returned a figure).

    Source: The Mortgage Lender Lottery (August 2026 engine run) · as of 2026-08-26

  9. Near-retirement, age 55, £45,000: the most generous mainstream lender (Lloyds Bank) offers £247,500 against £140,439 from the least generous (Dudley Building Society) — a £107,061 gap (76%) on identical circumstances (46 lenders returned a figure).

    Source: The Mortgage Lender Lottery (August 2026 engine run) · as of 2026-08-26

  10. The highest specialist multiple recorded was 8.5× income: West One Loans at £676,957 for a professional, £80,000, against a mainstream best of £518,836.

    Source: The Mortgage Lender Lottery (August 2026 engine run) · as of 2026-08-26

  11. The median mainstream offer to a single first-time buyer on £30,000 is £134,700 — about 4.49× income.

    Source: The Mortgage Lender Lottery (August 2026 engine run) · as of 2026-08-26

Published income multiples: the Affordability Index (June 2026)

  1. Across 15 income bands (£20,000–£100,000), the most generous published income-multiple lends 26.9% more than the least generous, on average (June 2026).

    Source: UK Mortgage Affordability Index (June 2026) · as of 2026-06-01

  2. A single employed applicant on £50,000 can borrow between £224,500 (Accord Mortgages) and £300,000 (Cumberland BS) on published multiples — a £75,500 difference.

    Source: UK Mortgage Affordability Index (June 2026) · as of 2026-06-01

  3. On a £25,000 salary the published-multiple range runs from £112,300 to £137,500 (4.49×–5.5×).

    Source: UK Mortgage Affordability Index (June 2026) · as of 2026-06-01

  4. On a £100,000 salary the range widens to £550,000–£650,000 (5.5×–6.5×), a £100,000 gap.

    Source: UK Mortgage Affordability Index (June 2026) · as of 2026-06-01

  5. The widest cash gap between published multiples is £105,700, at the £70,000 income band (33.6%).

    Source: UK Mortgage Affordability Index (June 2026) · as of 2026-06-01

  6. The typical income-multiple range on mainstream published criteria is 4.49× to 6× income (median of the lowest and highest multiple in each band).

    Source: UK Mortgage Affordability Index (June 2026) · as of 2026-06-01

  7. 18 of the 15 broadly available lenders in the Index publish a multiple of 5.5× income or more for qualifying applicants.

    Source: UK Mortgage Affordability Index (June 2026) · as of 2026-06-01

  8. 6 of the 15 modelled lenders reach 6× income or more, typically gated by a minimum income or scheme.

    Source: UK Mortgage Affordability Index (June 2026) · as of 2026-06-01

  9. The highest published income multiple in our what-salary lender tables is 6.5× income (HSBC Premier).

    Source: What salary do I need? lender multiples (June 2026) · as of 2026-06-01

The lender panel behind the numbers

  1. Our live residential affordability panel runs 58 UK lenders' own calculators for every check.

    Source: Mortgage Affordability live lender panel · as of 2026-07-28

  2. The buy-to-let panel covers 22 lenders' rental-cover and affordability calculators.

    Source: Mortgage Affordability live lender panel · as of 2026-07-28

Adverse credit: how many lenders say yes (criteria verified June 2026)

  1. A satisfied CCJ registered this month is accepted in principle by at least 11 of 57 residential lenders; once it is 3 years old that rises to 34, and to 35 at 6 years (criteria verified June 2026).

    Source: Bad credit mortgage calculator: CCJ acceptance by age · as of 2026-07-12

  2. An unsatisfied CCJ halves the pool: 17 lenders at 3 years old versus 34 for a satisfied one.

    Source: Bad credit mortgage calculator: CCJ acceptance by age · as of 2026-07-12

  3. Of the 35 lenders that accept a satisfied CCJ, 25 cap its value and 20 only accept CCJs of £500 or less.

    Source: Bad credit mortgage calculator: CCJ acceptance by age · as of 2026-07-12

  4. A satisfied default is accepted by 8 of 57 lenders when brand new, 17 at 2 years and 33 at 3 years.

    Source: Bad credit mortgage calculator: defaults acceptance by age · as of 2026-07-12

  5. Missed unsecured payments are the fastest to recover from: 3 lenders accept them in the month they happen, 19 after 12 months and 28 after 3 years.

    Source: Bad credit mortgage calculator: missed payments · as of 2026-07-12

  6. At least 29 of 57 residential lenders will consider a discharged bankrupt in principle.

    Source: Bad credit mortgage calculator: bankruptcy · as of 2026-07-12

  7. A completed IVA is considered by 23 lenders; an IVA still running by only 5.

    Source: Bad credit mortgage calculator: IVA · as of 2026-07-12

  8. 27 lenders consider applicants who have completed a Debt Management Plan.

    Source: Bad credit mortgage calculator: DMP · as of 2026-07-12

  9. Historic missed mortgage payments are considered in principle by 38 of 57 lenders — the most forgiving adverse category in the dataset.

    Source: Bad credit mortgage calculator: missed payments · as of 2026-07-12

  10. Deposit size matters as much as time: with a 3-year-old satisfied CCJ, 20 of 51 lenders lend at 95% LTV versus 28 at 75% LTV.

    Source: Bad credit deposit calculator: adverse events by LTV · as of 2026-07-12

  11. A brand-new satisfied default at 95% LTV leaves 6 lenders; at 3 years old and 75% LTV it is 28.

    Source: Bad credit deposit calculator: adverse events by LTV · as of 2026-07-12

Niche criteria: lenders per question

  1. 78 UK lenders publish criteria for lending into retirement — the largest accept list of any question we track.

    Source: Lender Questions: employment/mortgage-in-retirement (market-wide criteria list) · as of 2026-07-15

  2. 73 lenders accept dividend income for limited-company directors.

    Source: Lender Questions: income/dividend-income (market-wide criteria list) · as of 2026-07-15

  3. 72 lenders lend to EU pre-settled or settled status holders.

    Source: Lender Questions: residency/pre-settled-status (market-wide criteria list) · as of 2026-07-15

  4. 67 lenders will count bonus, commission or overtime towards affordability, with varying haircuts.

    Source: Lender Questions: income/bonus-commission-overtime (market-wide criteria list) · as of 2026-07-15

  5. 67 lenders will lend on high-rise flats, subject to floor and cladding conditions.

    Source: Lender Questions: property/high-rise-flats (market-wide criteria list) · as of 2026-07-15

  6. 55 lenders accept zero-hours contract income.

    Source: Lender Questions: employment/zero-hours (market-wide criteria list) · as of 2026-07-15

  7. 55 lenders assess contractors on their day rate rather than accounts.

    Source: Lender Questions: employment/contractor-day-rate (market-wide criteria list) · as of 2026-07-15

  8. Only 25 lenders accept a single year of self-employed accounts.

    Source: Lender Questions: employment/self-employed-one-year-accounts (market-wide criteria list) · as of 2026-07-15

  9. 22 lenders lend to Skilled Worker visa holders without indefinite leave to remain.

    Source: Lender Questions: residency/skilled-worker-visa (market-wide criteria list) · as of 2026-07-15

  10. 20 lenders offer residential mortgages to British expats living abroad.

    Source: Lender Questions: residency/uk-expat (market-wide criteria list) · as of 2026-08-18

  11. 38 lenders will lend on flats with cladding where an EWS1 form is in place.

    Source: Lender Questions: property/cladding-ews1 (market-wide criteria list) · as of 2026-07-15

  12. Just 2 lenders offer a genuine 100% LTV (no-deposit) residential mortgage.

    Source: Lender Questions: deposit/100-ltv-no-deposit (market-wide criteria list) · as of 2026-07-14

Policy and tax figures that shape affordability

  1. Bank Rate is 3.75%, unchanged since December 2025 (verified August 2026).

    Source: Bank of England: Bank Rate · as of 2026-08-02

  2. In August 2022 the Bank of England's Financial Policy Committee withdrew the affordability stress test that required lenders to check borrowers against a 3 percentage-point rise above their standard variable rate.

    Source: Bank of England: Financial Policy Summary and Record · as of 2026-07-12

  3. The permanent Freedom to Buy guarantee (successor to the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme) supports 95% LTV lending on homes up to £600,000.

    Source: GOV.UK: Mortgage Guarantee Scheme · as of 2026-07-12

  4. A Lifetime ISA adds a 25% government bonus on up to £4,000 saved a year — up to £1,000 a year towards a first-home deposit.

    Source: GOV.UK: Lifetime ISA · as of 2026-07-13

  5. First-time buyers in England and Northern Ireland pay 0% Stamp Duty Land Tax up to £300,000, then 5% up to £500,000.

    Source: HMRC: Stamp Duty Land Tax residential rates · as of 2026-07-27

  6. Additional properties in England and Northern Ireland carry a 5% SDLT surcharge on top of the standard bands.

    Source: HMRC: Stamp Duty Land Tax residential rates · as of 2026-07-27

  7. In Scotland, first-time buyer relief raises the LBTT nil-rate band to £175,000, and the Additional Dwelling Supplement is 8%.

    Source: Revenue Scotland: Land and Buildings Transaction Tax · as of 2026-07-27

  8. Tax-Free Childcare tops up childcare payments by 20%, worth up to £2,000 per child per year — a cost lenders deduct in affordability models.

    Source: GOV.UK: Tax-Free Childcare · as of 2026-08-11

Methodology

  • Lender Lottery figures come from running standardised borrower personas through our live affordability engine against the UK residential lender panel (August 2026 snapshot). They are indicative maximum borrowing from each lender's own calculator, not offers.
  • Affordability Index figures apply each lender's published loan-to-income ceiling (June 2026) to a single employed applicant with no other debts, over a 25-year term.
  • Adverse-credit and criteria counts are floors: a lender is counted only where its published criteria say "yes" with a source. Criteria counts are market-wide lists and can exceed the size of our live panel.
  • Policy figures are quoted from the official page linked against each statistic, with the date we last verified them.
  • Updates: every statistic is generated from the same data files that drive the linked pages, so it changes when they do. The "as of" date is the date of the underlying data, not the date this page was edited.

Sources

How to cite this page

Phillip Wakeling-Smith (2026). UK Mortgage Affordability Statistics 2026. Mortgage Affordability. https://mortgageaffordability.co.uk/affordability-index/statistics (accessed 27 August 2026).

You are welcome to quote any statistic on this page with a link to it as the source. Each numbered item has its own anchor (for example https://mortgageaffordability.co.uk/affordability-index/statistics#lottery-headline-gap) so you can link to a single figure.

This page is information only and does not constitute mortgage advice or a recommendation. Borrowing figures are indicative, vary by individual circumstances, and are subject to each lender's full lending criteria, affordability assessment and credit checks.

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