Mortgage Affordability Calculator 2026

Lenders typically offer between 4 and 4.5 times your annual income (or combined income for joint applications), though this varies by lender and your specific financial profile. This income multiple is a starting point, not the final answer — every lender then runs an affordability stress test, checking whether you could still cover repayments if interest rates rose by several percentage points above your offered rate.

Beyond the income multiple, lenders look closely at your existing commitments: credit card balances, car finance, student loan repayments, and other loans all reduce how much they'll lend, since these are treated as reducing your disposable income. A clean credit history and a larger deposit (25%+ rather than the minimum 5-10%) can also improve the rate and amount you're offered.

Worked example: a couple with a combined income of £70,000 and no other debts might be offered around £280,000–£315,000 (4-4.5x income) by a typical lender, subject to the stress test and their deposit size. The same couple with £15,000 of car finance and credit card debt could see that figure reduced by £30,000–£50,000, since lenders subtract existing monthly commitments before applying the multiple.

This calculator gives a general estimate based on standard income multiples — actual mortgage offers depend on a full affordability assessment by the specific lender, including a credit check and review of your outgoings. Speaking to a mortgage broker (see our financial partners) can get you a more precise, lender-specific figure.