How much can I borrow for a mortgage?
UK lenders work out your maximum loan two ways and usually take the lower: an income multiple applied to your income, and an affordability test of your real income and outgoings against a stressed interest rate. As a general guide, multiples often sit around four to four and a half times income, with some lenders going higher for certain borrowers. These figures are indicative, and clearing short-term debt usually lifts your maximum more than anything else.
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Indicative maximum loan
Typical range: to
Indicative only, based on income multiples of about 4 to 5 times. The binding test is affordability: the stress test, your outgoings, deposit and credit profile can all cap this lower. Not a quote and not advice. A regulated broker can confirm the real figure.
Two tests, the lower one wins
The income multiple is the headline: a lender multiplies your income by a figure to get a rough ceiling. But the binding test is affordability: the lender checks that the monthly payment, calculated at a higher stressed rate than the pay rate, fits comfortably alongside your outgoings. Whichever is lower sets your maximum. A high earner with lots of debt can be capped by affordability well below their income multiple.
Indicative income multiples
| Situation | Indicative multiple of income |
|---|---|
| Typical applicant | around 4 to 4.5 times |
| Higher earners or some professions | up to 5 times or more with some lenders |
| Tighter affordability or complex income | can be below 4 times |
Indicative general guidance only, not a quote. Each lender sets its own multiples and affordability rules, and the stress test can cap you below the multiple.
What moves your maximum
- Clearing or reducing short-term debt (the biggest controllable lever).
- How much of your bonus, commission or overtime a lender counts: see complex income.
- Childcare, dependents and regular commitments, which reduce affordability.
- The mortgage term: a longer term lowers the monthly payment and can raise the maximum.
Common questions
How is my maximum loan worked out?
Lenders start from your income and apply an income multiple, then run an affordability assessment of your actual income and outgoings against a stressed interest rate. The lower of the two usually sets your maximum. Both the multiple and the stress test vary by lender, which is why maximum loans differ so much between them.
What income multiple do lenders use?
As a general guide, many lenders work around four to four and a half times income, and some go to five times or beyond for certain borrowers (for example higher earners or specific professions). These figures are indicative, not a rule, and the affordability test can cap you below the multiple.
What reduces how much I can borrow?
Short-term debts (loans, credit cards, car finance), childcare and other regular commitments, and dependents all reduce affordability. So can variable income that a lender only partly counts. Clearing debts before applying often lifts your maximum more than anything else.
Why do lenders give different amounts?
Because they use different multiples, different stress rates and different assumptions about your spending, and they treat bonus, commission and overtime differently. The same income can produce noticeably different maximum loans, which is why matching to the right lender matters.
Got a figure in mind? Get an agreement in principle, and gather your documents.
Founder, MortgageExplained, MortgageExplained
Adam spent nearly a decade as a mortgage adviser at Just Mortgages, with further experience in commercial finance. He is CeMAP and CF qualified. He built MortgageExplained to do one thing well: explain mortgages in plain English, then introduce you to a regulated broker when you are ready. Every page is written and reviewed by Adam.
Last reviewed: 21 July 2026