How Much Can I Borrow?
A quick indication of what lenders might advance based on your income, deposit and existing commitments, and what that means for the price you could reach.
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This figure uses 4.5 times income, the multiple most lenders start from. This is an estimate based on typical lender criteria and current rates. It is not advice, a recommendation, or an offer of credit. What you can actually borrow depends on your circumstances and the lender's own assessment.
This calculator uses 4.5 times income, the multiple most lenders start from. In practice multiples range from around 4 to 5.5 times depending on the lender, how your income is structured and your loan to value. Correct as at 15 August 2026; lender criteria change without notice.
Where to Go Next
How much you can borrow depends on how your income is treated. These pages explain the detail.
First-Time Buyer Mortgages
How lenders assess a first purchase, and what deposit you realistically need.
Home Mover Mortgages
Porting, borrowing more and timing a sale and purchase together.
Complex or Self-Employed Income
Bonus, commission, dividends and contract income assessed properly.
Specialist Mortgages
Adverse credit, large loans and cases the high street turns down.
Mortgage Repayment Calculator
Work out the monthly cost of a given loan size, rate and term.
Mortgage Deposit Calculator
See what deposit a given property price and LTV would need.
What lenders are actually working out
Most lenders start from a multiple of your income. The common starting point is 4.5 times, which is the figure this calculator uses, and a smaller number of lenders will stretch to 5.5 times for larger incomes, lower loan-to-values and certain professions. Treat the headline number as the realistic figure and the stretch as something to be argued for.
Credit commitments matter more than people expect. A car finance agreement or a personal loan reduces the income a lender will assess, and because the reduction is then multiplied, clearing a commitment before you apply can move what you can borrow by considerably more than the balance you clear.
Your deposit then sets the loan-to-value, which drives both whether a lender will consider you and what rate you are offered. The meaningful thresholds are 90% and 95%, above which choice narrows sharply, and 60%, below which the best rates open up. If you are buying your first home, our guide to first-time buyer mortgages covers deposit and criteria in more detail; if you are moving, see home mover mortgages.
Where the calculator is least reliable is when your income is not a simple salary. Bonus, commission, dividends, retained profit, contract or self-employed income are all treated differently from one lender to the next, and how much of it counts matters far more than the multiple applied to it. That is the ground covered by mortgages for professionals with complex income and, more broadly, our specialist mortgages pages.
Affordability rules are set by the Financial Conduct Authority, and the government-backed MoneyHelper service publishes impartial guidance on the buying process if you want a second view.
Find Out What You Can Really Borrow
The calculator uses standard income multiples. Lenders vary widely once bonuses, self-employment, commission or credit history come into it — share a few details and we will tell you where your figure sits with real lenders.
Enquiry Form
Tell us about your situation and we'll get back to you with tailored advice.
Read More About What You Can Borrow
The number here is a starting point. What a lender will actually agree depends on these.
Self-Employed Mortgage Guide
How lenders actually read accounts, day rates and dividends.
How Much Deposit Do You Need?
What each deposit size actually reaches, and what staying small costs you.
First-Time Buyer Advice
Putting the deposit, the borrowing and the timing together for a first home.
Find out what you could really borrow
The income multiple is only the start. Tell us how your income is structured and we will tell you which lenders go further.
Frequently Asked Questions – How Much Can I Borrow
How many times my salary can I borrow for a mortgage?
Most lenders start at around 4.5 times income. A smaller number will stretch to 5.5 times, usually for higher earners, borrowers with a larger deposit, or certain professions such as doctors, solicitors and accountants. The multiple is only half the picture though, because the lender also has to be satisfied the payments are affordable at a stressed interest rate.
Does a second applicant increase how much we can borrow?
Usually yes. Most lenders apply the income multiple to the combined income of both applicants, so a second income can lift borrowing substantially. A minority cap the multiple more tightly on joint applications, or treat a much smaller second income differently, which is one of the many places lender choice matters.
How do credit commitments affect what I can borrow?
Car finance, personal loans, credit card balances and similar commitments are deducted from the income a lender will assess, and because that reduced figure is then multiplied, the effect is amplified. As a rough guide, £200 a month of commitments can reduce borrowing by around £10,000. Clearing a commitment before you apply often improves what you can borrow by far more than the balance you clear.
Does my deposit change how much I can borrow?
It changes the loan to value, which affects whether lenders will consider you and what rate you are offered rather than the income multiple itself. Above 90% the choice of lender narrows and rates rise; above 95% very few lenders will lend at all. Below 60% you reach the best rates on the market.
Will I be able to borrow more if I am self-employed?
Not necessarily more or less, but the assessment is different. Lenders typically look at one to three years of accounts or tax calculations, and they differ sharply over whether they use net profit, salary plus dividends, or retained profit within a limited company. The same business can produce very different borrowing figures depending on which lender assesses it.
Is this calculator the same as a mortgage in principle?
No. This is an indicative estimate based on typical criteria. A decision in principle is a soft assessment by an actual lender against its own rules, usually including a credit check, and it carries weight with estate agents. It is still not a formal offer, which only follows a full application, valuation and underwriting.
Have a different question? Get in touch or read our full mortgage FAQs.