How Much Mortgage Can I Afford? (UK 2025)
Most UK lenders cap mortgages at 4.5× your income — but your real budget depends on deposit, debts and stress-tested rates.
There's no single answer to 'how much mortgage can I afford' — lenders make the final call based on your salary, deposit, regular outgoings and a stress test against higher interest rates.
Income multiples
UK lenders typically offer between 4× and 4.5× your gross annual income. A select few will stretch to 5–5.5× for high earners or professionals such as doctors. With a joint income of £60,000, the maximum loan is usually £270,000.
The deposit you need
5% is the absolute minimum, but 10% unlocks better rates, and 25% gets you the cheapest deals on the market. The bigger your deposit, the lower your loan-to-value (LTV) ratio — and lenders price risk against LTV.
Affordability and stress tests
Lenders are required to check you could still afford the mortgage if interest rates rose. Even if today's deal is 4.5%, expect to be stress-tested at 7%+. They also subtract your committed outgoings — childcare, student loans, car finance — from your income.
Estimate your monthly mortgage payment based on property price, deposit, interest rate and term. Useful for both first-time buyers and remortgaging.
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