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How big of a mortgage can you get?

Finding out what size of mortgage you can get before you start house hunting is a sensible move because it helps you avoid falling in love with a home that’s not affordable to you. We explore how much the typical mortgage applicant can borrow and what can affect this.

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Find out how much you could borrow

If you're buying a property, our broker partner Mojo can help:

  • Free expert advice and answers to your mortgage questions

  • An affordability and eligibility assessment

  • A mortgage in principle to help you understand what you could borrow

How much can you borrow?

The most common way people find out what size of mortgage they can get in the UK is by using a mortgage calculator. Whilst mortgage calculators can be helpful, it’s important to understand that they don’t give you the full picture. 

According to the latest UK first-time buyer statistics, there were 874,000 recent first-time buyers in England alone in 2022-23.

When lenders look at how much they are willing to lend you, their calculations are way more complex than simply using a particular multiple of your income. They will also look at your existing financial commitments, how much deposit you have available, your credit rating, your employment and/or income type and your age, not to mention the property itself.

How much you need to earn to get a mortgage of £200,000, for example, will therefore depend on your circumstances. Whilst most lenders will use a multiple of around four to four and a half times your income (£44,500 - £50,000), this won’t necessarily be the case if you have lots of outgoings, poor credit, fluctuating income or want to buy a non-standard property.

Equally, certain applicants may be able to borrow more than the average multiple of their income. This usually applies to those in certain professions, or with a higher than average income who can sometimes borrow five to six times their income, or even more in the case of high net worth individuals.

How much of a deposit do you need?

5% is the minimum deposit you will currently need to put down in order to get a mortgage deal in the UK. This means that to buy the average UK house, which is currently priced at  £296,000*, you'd need a deposit of at least £14,800.

*As as August 2022, source ONS

However, if you can afford to offer more than the minimum 5% deposit, you will reduce the LTV (loan to value) of your borrowing. This will give you access to lower interest rates and potentially allow you to buy a more expensive home. 

It’s also important to realise that not all lenders will be happy to accept a 5% deposit, and that some applicants will need to put down more depending on their circumstances and the type of purchase they are making. 

If you have poor credit, are an older borrower or have a less stable income, most lenders will want you to balance some of their additional risk in lending to you with a larger deposit of 10-15%. You will also need a larger deposit for buy-to-let property purchase, typically between 25-40%. 

According to the latest buy-to-let statistics, more than 83,000 buy-to-let mortgages were approved in 2023, and that number is only expected to rise.

What is loan to value?

The loan to value (LTV) is the amount you are borrowing compared to the property price - so with a 5% deposit you will need to borrow 95% of the cost of the property you want to buy from the mortgage lender, or 95% LTV

Example: For a £100,000 property

95% LTV - you would borrow £95,000 and need a deposit of £5000

80% LTV - you would borrow £80,000 and need a deposit of £20,000

60% LTV - you would borrow £60,000 and need a deposit of £40,000

Interest rates tend to reduce as the LTV lowers, so if you only borrow at 90% LTV, you should be offered better mortgage rates than you would be at 95% LTV. The most competitive interest rates are reserved for those with the lowest LTV, therefore, those who have the largest deposit. 

How do lenders assess how much you can borrow?

Lenders look at a whole host of factors when deciding whether to lend to you and how much you can borrow, but their main focus will be on mortgage affordability and credit score. The amount of deposit you have will also play a role in this, as this will affect your LTV, as explained above, and each lender has a maximum LTV that they will be happy to offer in any situation.

Each lender has slightly different criteria to the next, but most will look at:

  • The amount you need to borrow

  • The size of your deposit

  • Your employment type and status

  • Your income, taking into account all current outgoings

  • Your credit status and level of debt

  • Your age

  • The property type

Not sure if you can afford a new property? Our broker partner Mojo can help you understand what mortgage you could get.

Loan calculation

The majority of lenders use a multiple of your income (bearing in mind that this won’t all be expendable income if you have existing outgoings) to decide how much you can borrow. 

  • Those with poor credit, newly self-employed or with other complex financial circumstances will typically be offered 3-4 x their income

  • The average borrower can expect to be offered a loan of around 4 - 4.5 x their income

  • Certain professionals (such as doctors, lawyers, vets etc), and higher earners could be offered around 5-6 x their income

  • High net worth individuals may be able to borrow 6+ x their income

According to ONS, the average salary in the UK is £33,000 in the tax year ending April 2022. On this salary, you could therefore expect to borrow around £132,000 - £148,500, so long as you have a good credit score.

Joint applications

If you apply jointly with another applicant or multiple applicants, the way your loan size is calculated will depend on the lender. Most will use one of the following two methods to calculate your joint income mortgage affordability, and will generally be happy to use whichever of these gives you the highest loan offer:

1. Highest income x 4-4.5 + lower income(s)

Highest income £30,000

Lower income £20,000

[£30,000 x 4] + £20,000 = £140,000

2. Add both incomes together x 3-3.5

Income 1 - £30,000

Income 2 - £20,000

[£30,000 + £20,000] x 3 = £150,000

Credit score

Lenders use your complete credit record, rather than simply a score when they carry out a mortgage credit check. They are interested in how you have managed using credit in the past, and how much debt you currently have. 

Many will use what’s known as a debt to income ratio, and most will be looking for this to be below a certain level, typically between 35-50%, however, some lenders assess this on a case by case basis.

Having poor credit won’t necessarily mean that you can’t get a mortgage, but it could narrow down the pool of lenders available to you and reduce the amount you’re able to borrow. Bad credit lenders are the most flexible with lower credit scores, so it’s worth checking your credit file before you look for a mortgage, so that you can approach the right type of lender for your circumstances.

Get free expert advice from a broker at Mojo Mortgages, our award-winning partner

Mortgage size FAQs

Can you get a mortgage if you're self employed

Yes, you can, so long as you meet the lender criteria. There is a lot of misinformation about self-employed people not being able to get mortgages, and whilst it’s true that those who are newly self-employed may have a harder time securing one, the majority of lenders are far more concerned with the level of income you have, rather than how you earn it. 

There are certainly lenders that are more welcoming to self-employed income than others, and if you’re a contractor or have particularly complex income streams, then it may be best to opt for these more specialist lenders.

How much can you borrow with bad credit?

There are fewer mainstream lenders offering bad credit mortgages, although it does depend on the level of bad credit you have, and how old the issues are. Some of the bigger lenders will be happy to look at minor issues such as CCJs that have occurred more than 12 months ago, whereas being bankrupt will make it almost impossible to get a mortgage. 

Those lenders who are happy to lend can be a bit more cautious with their lending if you have a history of poor credit, and may restrict the LTV (loan to value - how much you are borrowing compared to the cost of the property) of your borrowing and the multiple of your income that they are willing to offer.

Should I borrow the maximum amount lenders offer?

This is a personal choice, however, it’s not recommended to stretch yourself to the limit of what you can afford, as this could leave you in a difficult position down the line. For example, if you have a variable rate mortgage deal and the interest rates on your repayments rise, you may be unable to afford the extra cost.

You should also consider potential life changes, such as job loss, births or deaths in the family that could affect your income. Residential mortgages are secured on your property, so if you are unable to make the monthly repayments, the eventual result will be repossession. Most lenders try to find an alternative solution before taking such drastic measures, but you will need to find a way to pay your mortgage if you want to keep your home. 

Our mortgage comparison enables you to see the different monthly repayments you could have with different mortgages and amounts. Make sure to plan for the future, as interest rates will affect the size of your repayments, and current interest rates will probably rise, which means your payments could go up unless you use a fixed-rate mortgage.

Can I get a mortgage on £20,000 a year?

Yes, it's possible to get a mortgage deal on a 20k income, as many lenders have no minimum income requirement. However, you'll need to meet the affordability requirements, so it depends on the cost of the property you want to buy, what deposit you have and how much your outgoings are.

YOUR HOME/PROPERTY MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP WITH YOUR MORTGAGE REPAYMENTS.

The FCA does not regulate mortgages on commercial or investment buy-to-let properties.

Uswitch makes introductions to Mojo Mortgages to provide mortgage solutions. Uswitch and Mojo Mortgages are part of the same group of companies. Uswitch Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under firm reference number 312850. You can check this on the Financial Services Register by visiting the FCA website. Uswitch Limited is registered in England and Wales (Company No 03612689) The Cooperage, 5 Copper Row, London SE1 2LH. Mojo Mortgages is a trading style of Life's Great Limited which is registered in England and Wales (06246376). Mojo are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and are on the Financial Services Register (478215) Mojo’s registered office is The Cooperage, 5 Copper Row, London, SE1 2LH. To contact Mojo by phone, please call 0333 123 0012.