What Mortgage Can I Afford?
Not "what will a lender offer" — what can you actually afford, given your salary, your outgoings and the people who depend on you. Here's how to work out a real number, not just a rule-of-thumb multiple. Last reviewed July 2026.
Quick answer
As a rough rule of thumb, UK lenders typically offer 4 to 4.5 times your income, with some going up to 6.5× for higher earners or specific schemes. But affordability is not the multiple alone — debts, childcare, dependants and everyday spending all move your real number up or down. The only way to know your actual figure is to check it, not estimate it.
Typical Borrowing by Salary
These are the low and high ends of what UK lenders publish as their maximum income multiple for a single, employed applicant on a 25-year term with no additional debts. Your own figure will sit somewhere in this range — or below it, once your outgoings are factored in.
| Salary | Typical Borrowing Range |
|---|---|
| £25,000 | £112,300 – £112,300 |
| £30,000 | £134,700 – £165,000 |
| £40,000 | £179,600 – £240,000 |
| £50,000 | £224,500 – £300,000 |
| £60,000 | £269,400 – £360,000 |
Based on published lender income multiples, June 2026. Single employed applicant, 25-year repayment term, no additional debts. Illustration only — your actual offer depends on your full circumstances and how each lender calculates affordability.
What Pulls Your Number Down
The salary table above shows the ceiling. What actually reduces your affordable mortgage is everything a lender deducts before they get there:
- Existing debts — credit cards, personal loans, and especially how debt affects mortgage affordability can cut tens of thousands off your maximum.
- Childcare costs — nursery and childminder fees are treated as committed expenditure by most lenders. See how childcare costs affect affordability.
- Car finance — a PCP or HP agreement is a monthly commitment like any other debt, and it is deducted before your mortgage affordability is worked out.
The Monthly Payment Reality Check
A maximum loan amount means nothing until you see it as a monthly number. A £200,000 mortgage over 25 years costs roughly £1,112 a month at a typical rate — before you add buildings insurance, ground rent or service charges where applicable. Use our mortgage repayment calculator to see the monthly cost at your own loan amount, or jump straight to a worked example at £150k, £200k or £250k.
Your Deposit Changes the Number Too
Affordability isn't only about income and outgoings — the size of your deposit affects which lenders and which income multiples are available to you. A larger deposit can unlock better rates and, at some lenders, higher multiples. See how your deposit size affects how much you can borrow for the full picture.
"Afford" and "Be Lent" Aren't the Same Thing
A lender saying yes to a figure is not the same as that figure being comfortable to live with. Lenders assess whether you can technically afford the repayments under stress-tested conditions — not whether you'll have enough left for savings, holidays, or an unexpected bill. Before committing to your maximum, run your numbers through our monthly budget calculator to see what's actually left over each month at that loan size.
Find Your Actual Number
Rules of thumb only get you so far. Check your real affordability across 60+ UK lenders in one go — no credit search, results in minutes.
Run My Affordability CheckFrequently Asked Questions
What mortgage can I afford on a £30,000 salary?
On a £30,000 salary, UK lenders typically offer between £134,700 and £165,000, depending on which lender you apply to and their income multiple. That is before outgoings, existing debts or dependants are factored in — the affordability check a lender actually runs will narrow this to a single figure based on your full circumstances.
How do I work out what mortgage I can afford?
Start with a rough ceiling: multiply your income by 4.49–6.5, depending on the lender. Then subtract the effect of your outgoings — debts, childcare, dependants — because lenders stress-test your ability to pay, not just your income. Running a whole-of-market affordability check gives you the real number rather than a rough multiple.
What mortgage can I afford in the UK right now?
Most UK lenders in 2026 offer 4 to 4.5 times income as standard, with some going up to 6.5x for higher earners or specific schemes. On a £40,000 salary that is a range of roughly £179,600 to £240,000. Because every lender's model differs, the only way to know your actual number is to check against several lenders directly.
Is what a lender offers the same as what I can afford?
Not necessarily. A lender's maximum offer is the most they will lend based on their affordability model — it is not a recommendation about what is comfortable to repay. Many borrowers who are offered the maximum choose to borrow less once they account for bills, savings, and day-to-day spending they want to keep room for.
What mortgage can I afford without overstretching?
A useful check is to work out your monthly repayment at your target loan amount and compare it against a real budget, not just the income multiple. For example, a £200,000 mortgage over 25 years costs roughly £1,112 a month at a typical rate — building that into a monthly budget alongside your other costs shows whether it is comfortable, not just approvable.
Related guides
How Affordability Is Calculated
Income multiples, stress tests and committed expenditure explained.
Affordability With Existing Debt
How loans, credit cards and car finance reduce what you can borrow.
How Deposit Size Affects Borrowing
The 5%, 10% and 15% LTV thresholds that change rates and multiples.
How to Maximise Your Borrowing
Practical changes that can add tens of thousands to your maximum loan.
