Overview
This mortgage affordability calculator gives an indicative idea of how much you could borrow and the property budget that implies, based on your income and deposit. Enter your income (and a second applicant's, for a joint application) plus your deposit, and we'll show a cautious, typical and generous estimate using common income multiples. Most UK lenders cap borrowing at around 4.5 times income, so the "typical" figure is the one to plan around — but it's a starting point only. Lenders also assess your spending, debts, credit history and affordability stress tests before making a formal offer.
How it's calculated
Most lenders size a mortgage using a loan-to-income (LTI) multiple — a simple cap on how many times your annual income you can borrow. We apply three common multiples so you can see a realistic range:
- Cautious — 4.0× income
- Typical — 4.5× income (the most common cap)
- Generous — 5.0× income (some lenders, often for higher earners)
Your property budget is then the amount you could borrow plus your deposit.
Max borrowing = total income × multiple · Property budget = max borrowing + deposit
For a joint application we add both incomes together before applying the multiple. This is an estimate of borrowing capacity, not a guarantee of what a lender will offer.
Worked example
Take a single applicant earning £35,000 with a £30,000 deposit, using the typical 4.5× multiple:
| Annual income | £35,000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Income multiple | 4.5× | |
| Could borrow | £157,500 | |
| Deposit | £30,000 | |
| Property budget | £187,500 |
So this buyer could look at homes around £187,500. A second income would raise this considerably — add a joint applicant above to see the effect.
Current rates & key facts
Typical UK income multiples
| Lender stance | Income multiple |
|---|---|
| Cautious | 4.0× income |
| Typical (most common cap) | 4.5× income |
| Generous (selected lenders) | 5.0×+ income |
Lenders are limited in how many mortgages they can offer at or above 4.5× loan-to-income, and must stress-test that you could still afford repayments if rates rose. Your actual offer depends on outgoings, debts and credit history.
Last updated 28 June 2026 · Source: FCA — Mortgages