How much can I borrow? The Reddit threads worth reading
The useful 'how much can I borrow' threads are the ones where someone posts their actual salary, deposit and the figure a lender quoted — because the gap between the generic 4.5x answer and a real decision is the whole story.
5 threads, each checked live on 2026-08-27. Reddit posts are other people's experiences, not advice; the commentary underneath is ours.
The threads worth reading
1 · r/UKPersonalFinance · 2022-11-12
Is this really how little mortgage I can get?Good credit, no debt, up to £90,000 deposit, £24k income — and Halifax's calculator said £54k maximum. The poster asks whether that is really the ceiling when the houses they like are £155k.
2 · r/UKPersonalFinance · 2026-07-16
How much of a mortgage should I borrow?A 26-year-old first-time buyer on £60k (about £3,200 take-home) with a partner whose pay varies, who knows the bank will offer more than is sensible and wants to avoid being house-poor.
3 · r/UKPersonalFinance · 2026-01-14
How much should I be borrowing for a mortgage on 85k & is it viable?£85k salary, £100k saved over ten years, needs to stay near London for work and wants to start a family — asking what a sensible borrowing figure is rather than the maximum.
4 · r/UKPersonalFinance · 2025-03-28
Are there any accurate affordability calculators out there to determine how much I can borrow for a mortgage?Applying solo after a split and asking whether any online calculator gives a figure close to what a lender would actually offer.
5 · r/HousingUK · 2025-06-29
Anyone know which lenders provide mortgages based on higher multiples of income?Offer accepted, best rates are direct-only, and their broker will not handle direct applications — so which banks (Yorkshire? Lloyds?) are known for lending at higher salary multiples?
What a broker adds
The Halifax-on-£24k thread is the one to read first: a big deposit does not raise the income multiple, and a low salary hits the affordability model's living-cost floor long before it hits 4.5x. That is why two lenders can be £50,000 apart on the same person, and why the right question is not 'how much can I borrow' but 'which lender's model suits my income shape'.
On the 'should I borrow the maximum' threads: a lender's figure is a ceiling from its stress test, not a recommendation. A broker will usually model the payment at today's rate and at the stress rate before suggesting a number.
Related reading: How much can I borrow? By salary · Lender income multiples compared · The Lender Lottery: same applicant, 58 different answers
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