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Updated 11 October 2026

UK Mortgage Affordability Statistics 2026

The widest mainstream gap we measured in August 2026 is £286,480: a contractor, £450/day could borrow £654,354 from Hodge Bank but £367,874 from Dudley Building Society — 78% more, with no change to income, deposit or circumstances.

48 statistics — 40 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: 11 October 2026

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

  1. The widest mainstream gap we measured in August 2026 is £286,480: a contractor, £450/day could borrow £654,354 from Hodge Bank but £367,874 from Dudley Building Society — 78% more, with no change to income, deposit or circumstances.

    Source: Our own engine run (August 2026); method: How it works · as of 2026-08-29

  2. Averaged over 8 standardised borrower personas, the most generous mainstream lender could lend 64% more than the least generous for the same applicant.

    Source: Our own engine run (August 2026); method: How it works · as of 2026-08-29

  3. Joint applicants, £52,000 + £28,000: the most generous mainstream lender (Hodge Bank) could lend £492,157 against £330,877 from the least generous (Dudley Building Society) — a £161,280 gap (49%) on identical circumstances (41 lenders returned a figure).

    Source: Our own engine run (August 2026); method: How it works · as of 2026-08-29

  4. Single first-time buyer, £30,000: the most generous mainstream lender (Darlington Building Society) could lend £174,721 against £103,422 from the least generous (Family Building Society) — a £71,299 gap (69%) on identical circumstances (45 lenders returned a figure).

    Source: Our own engine run (August 2026); method: How it works · as of 2026-08-29

  5. Self-employed sole trader, £45,000: the most generous mainstream lender (Hodge Bank) could lend £270,031 against £184,558 from the least generous (Dudley Building Society) — a £85,473 gap (46%) on identical circumstances (45 lenders returned a figure).

    Source: Our own engine run (August 2026); method: How it works · as of 2026-08-29

  6. Nurse, £35,000 + shift enhancements: the most generous mainstream lender (Darlington Building Society) could lend £273,000 against £166,653 from the least generous (Mansfield Building Society) — a £106,347 gap (64%) on identical circumstances (45 lenders returned a figure).

    Source: Our own engine run (August 2026); method: How it works · as of 2026-08-29

  7. £60,000 with a satisfied CCJ: the most generous mainstream lender (Hodge Bank) could lend £370,088 against £233,050 from the least generous (Dudley Building Society) — a £137,038 gap (59%) on identical circumstances (41 lenders returned a figure).

    Source: Our own engine run (August 2026); method: How it works · as of 2026-08-29

  8. Professional, £80,000: the most generous mainstream lender (Hodge Bank) could lend £516,147 against £292,652 from the least generous (Dudley Building Society) — a £223,495 gap (76%) on identical circumstances (40 lenders returned a figure).

    Source: Our own engine run (August 2026); method: How it works · as of 2026-08-29

  9. Near-retirement, age 55, £45,000: the most generous mainstream lender (Lloyds Bank) could lend £247,500 against £142,000 from the least generous (Dudley Building Society) — a £105,500 gap (74%) on identical circumstances (45 lenders returned a figure).

    Source: Our own engine run (August 2026); method: How it works · as of 2026-08-29

  10. The highest specialist multiple recorded was 8.6× income: West One Loans at £513,805 for a £60,000 with a satisfied ccj, against a mainstream best of £370,088.

    Source: Our own engine run (August 2026); method: How it works · as of 2026-08-29

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

    Source: Our own engine run (August 2026); method: How it works · as of 2026-08-29

Published income multiples: the Affordability Index (September 2026)

  1. Across 15 income bands (£20,000–£100,000), the most generous published income-multiple lends 30.7% more than the least generous, on average (September 2026).

    Source: UK Mortgage Affordability Index (September 2026) · as of 2026-09-13

  2. A single employed applicant on £50,000 can borrow between £222,500 (Metro Bank) and £300,000 (Bath BS and Cumberland BS) on published multiples — a £77,500 difference.

    Source: UK Mortgage Affordability Index (September 2026) · as of 2026-09-13

  3. On a £25,000 salary the published-multiple range runs from £111,300 to £125,000 (4.45×–5×).

    Source: UK Mortgage Affordability Index (September 2026) · as of 2026-09-13

  4. On a £100,000 salary the range widens to £449,000–£650,000 (4.49×–6.5×), a £201,000 gap.

    Source: UK Mortgage Affordability Index (September 2026) · as of 2026-09-13

  5. The widest cash gap between published multiples is £201,000, at the £100,000 income band (44.8%).

    Source: UK Mortgage Affordability Index (September 2026) · as of 2026-09-13

  6. The typical income-multiple range on mainstream published criteria is 4.45× to 6× income (median of the lowest and highest multiple in each band).

    Source: UK Mortgage Affordability Index (September 2026) · as of 2026-09-13

  7. 19 of the 21 modelled lenders in the Index publish a multiple of 5.5× income or more for qualifying applicants.

    Source: UK Mortgage Affordability Index (September 2026) · as of 2026-09-13

  8. 8 of the 21 modelled lenders reach 6× income or more, typically gated by a minimum income or scheme.

    Source: UK Mortgage Affordability Index (September 2026) · as of 2026-09-13

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

    Source: UK Mortgage Affordability Index (September 2026) · as of 2026-09-13

The lenders behind the numbers

  1. Our calculator estimates borrowing for 57 UK lenders, using each lender's own calculator where available, otherwise a model of its published criteria.

    Source: Mortgage Affordability: lenders our calculator checks · as of 2026-07-28

  2. Our buy-to-let calculator estimates rental cover and affordability for 21 lenders.

    Source: Mortgage Affordability: lenders our calculator checks · as of 2026-07-28

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

  1. A satisfied CCJ registered this month is accepted in principle by at least 8 of 75 residential lenders; once it is 3 years old that rises to 51, and to 56 at 6 years (criteria verified September 2026).

    Source: Bad credit mortgage calculator: CCJ acceptance by age · as of 2026-09-13

  2. An unsatisfied CCJ narrows the pool: 21 lenders at 3 years old versus 51 for a satisfied one.

    Source: Bad credit mortgage calculator: CCJ acceptance by age · as of 2026-09-13

  3. Of the 56 lenders that accept a satisfied CCJ, 37 cap its value and 29 only accept CCJs of £500 or less.

    Source: Bad credit mortgage calculator: CCJ acceptance by age · as of 2026-09-13

  4. A satisfied default is accepted by 7 of 75 lenders when brand new, 25 at 2 years and 49 at 3 years.

    Source: Bad credit mortgage calculator: defaults acceptance by age · as of 2026-09-13

  5. Missed unsecured payments are the fastest to recover from: 8 lenders accept them in the month they happen, 28 after 12 months and 44 after 3 years.

    Source: Bad credit mortgage calculator: missed payments · as of 2026-09-13

  6. At least 52 of 75 residential lenders will consider a discharged bankrupt in principle.

    Source: Bad credit mortgage calculator: bankruptcy · as of 2026-09-13

  7. A completed IVA is considered by 55 lenders; an IVA still running by only 3.

    Source: Bad credit mortgage calculator: IVA · as of 2026-09-13

  8. 50 lenders consider applicants who have completed a Debt Management Plan.

    Source: Bad credit mortgage calculator: DMP · as of 2026-09-13

  9. Historic missed mortgage payments are considered in principle by 58 of 75 lenders — the most forgiving adverse category in the dataset.

    Source: Bad credit mortgage calculator: missed payments · as of 2026-09-13

Niche criteria: lenders per question

  1. 73 UK lenders publish criteria for lending into retirement.

    Source: Mortgages in later life (guide, market-wide criteria list) · as of 2026-09-13

  2. 71 lenders accept dividend income for limited-company directors.

    Source: Lender Questions: income/dividend-income (market-wide criteria list) · as of 2026-09-13

  3. 62 lenders lend to EU pre-settled or settled status holders.

    Source: Lender Questions: residency (market-wide criteria list) · as of 2026-09-13

  4. 61 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 2026-09-13

  5. 60 lenders accept zero-hours contract income.

    Source: Lender Questions: employment/zero-hours (market-wide criteria list) · as of 2026-09-13

  6. 73 lenders assess contractors on their day rate rather than accounts.

    Source: Lender Questions: employment (market-wide criteria list) · as of 2026-09-13

  7. Only 35 lenders accept a single year of self-employed accounts.

    Source: Lender Questions: employment/self-employed-one-year-accounts (market-wide criteria list) · as of 2026-09-13

  8. 53 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 2026-09-13

  9. Just 5 lenders offer a 100% LTV (no-deposit) residential mortgage, some only with family backing.

    Source: Lender Questions: deposit (market-wide criteria list) · as of 2026-09-13

Policy and tax figures that shape affordability

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

    Source: Bank of England: Bank Rate · as of 2026-09-17

  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: FPC confirms withdrawal of the mortgage market affordability test (June 2022) · as of 2026-07-12

  3. The Mortgage Guarantee Scheme, now the permanent Freedom to Buy, launched in April 2021 to support 95% LTV lending on homes up to £600,000.

    Source: GOV.UK: New 95% mortgage scheme launches (April 2021) · as of 2026-10-11

  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. The government plans to replace it with a First Time Buyer ISA, expected around April 2028.

    Source: GOV.UK: Lifetime ISA · as of 2026-10-05

  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 lenders our calculator checks, from our 29 August 2026 run. They are indicative maximum borrowing from each lender's own calculator where available, otherwise a model of its published criteria, not offers. Lenders have raised rates since, so today's figures may be lower.
  • Affordability Index figures apply each lender's published loan-to-income ceiling (September 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 number of lenders our calculator checks.
  • 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 11 October 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.

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.

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