Understanding mortgage affordability is the essential first step in buying a property. UK lenders use income multiples, stress tests, and detailed assessments of your outgoings to determine how much they’ll lend you. Your deposit size, credit history, employment type, and existing debts all play a role in the final figure.
In the UK, most mainstream lenders offer between 4 and 4.5 times your annual gross income, though some will stretch to 5 or even 5.5 times for certain professions, higher earners, or borrowers with large deposits. But the income multiple is only part of the picture — lenders also conduct an affordability assessment that considers your monthly spending, debts, dependants, and how you’d cope if interest rates increased.
Mortgage affordability has improved since the peak of interest rates in 2023, with rates stabilising in 2025 and 2026. However, house prices remain high relative to average earnings, meaning the deposit requirement is still the primary barrier for many buyers, particularly in southern England and London.
This guide brings together every mortgage affordability article on PocketWise — from salary-based borrowing calculators to guides for specific situations like bad credit, self-employment, and joint income applications.
Mortgage Calculators & Tools
Use these calculators to estimate how much you can borrow and what your repayments would look like.
- Mortgage Calculator — Calculate your estimated monthly mortgage repayments based on the loan amount, interest rate, and term.
- Mortgage Affordability Calculator — Work out how much a lender is likely to offer you based on your income, outgoings, and deposit.
- Mortgage Deposit Calculator — Calculate the deposit you’ll need for different property prices and LTV ratios.
- Mortgage Repayment Calculator — See how overpayments, term changes, and rate changes affect your total repayment cost.
- Loan to Value Calculator — Calculate your LTV ratio and understand how it affects the mortgage rates available to you.
- How Much House Can I Afford UK? — A comprehensive guide to working out your realistic budget based on income, deposit, and total buying costs.
- What Is LTV? Mortgage Explained — How loan-to-value ratios work and why they matter for the mortgage rates you’re offered.
Single Salary Mortgage Guides
How much mortgage can you get based on your individual salary? These guides give specific figures for common UK earnings levels.
- Mortgage on £25K Salary — Realistic borrowing expectations, property options, and tips for maximising affordability on £25,000.
- Mortgage on £30K Salary — What a £30,000 salary means for your mortgage, including regional property comparisons.
- Mortgage on £35K Salary — Borrowing power at £35,000 with different deposit sizes and LTV ratios.
- Mortgage on £40K Salary — Maximum mortgage amounts at £40,000 income and how to stretch your borrowing.
- Mortgage on £50K Salary — Mortgage options at the £50,000 income level, including London vs regional affordability.
- Mortgage on £60K Salary — What £60,000 earners can realistically borrow and where they can buy.
- Mortgage on £70K Salary — Borrowing at £70,000 and the impact of the Child Benefit charge on affordability assessments.
- Mortgage on £80K Salary — Maximum borrowing at £80,000 with different lender income multiples.
- Mortgage on £100K Salary — High-income mortgage options, including lenders that offer 5x+ income multiples.
Joint Income Mortgage Guides
For couples and joint applicants — how much more can you borrow with two incomes?
- Joint Mortgage on £50K Income — Borrowing scenarios for couples with a combined income of £50,000.
- Joint Mortgage on £60K Income — What a £60,000 joint income means for your property budget.
- Joint Mortgage on £80K Income — Mortgage options with a combined £80,000 household income.
- Joint Mortgage on £100K Income — Maximum borrowing for higher-income couples and where you can buy.
Mortgages for Challenging Circumstances
Not everyone has a straightforward income or perfect credit history. These guides cover specialist mortgage situations.
- Buying a House with Bad Credit — Mortgage options for borrowers with adverse credit, including the impact of different credit issues.
- Mortgage with a CCJ — Whether you can get a mortgage with a County Court Judgement and what lenders look for.
- Mortgage with Student Debt — How student loan repayments affect your maximum borrowing and what lenders consider.
- Mortgage at Age 60 — Options for older borrowers, including retirement interest-only mortgages and age limits by lender.
- Mortgage on a Zero-Hours Contract — How to get a mortgage with irregular income from zero-hours employment.
- Self-Employed Mortgage Guide — How affordability is assessed for sole traders and company directors, including documentation requirements.
- Should I Get a Joint Mortgage? — The pros and cons of joint mortgage applications, including how it affects borrowing and ownership.