How much can I borrow for a mortgage?

Find your top price: what a lender might lend, checked against what your budget can pay each month.

For homes in England and Wales. Figures checked 4 November 2026.

Are you buying on your own or with someone?

On my own With someone

What a lender might lend

Lenders start with your yearly income.

Your yearly pay before tax

Lenders may also count bonus, overtime or other income.

What your budget can pay

Start with your take-home pay, take off your spending and saving, then the costs of running the home.

Take-home pay each month

Your pay after tax, National Insurance and pension.

Spending each month

Leave out rent and bills.

Saving you want to keep up each month (optional)

For example, for holidays or an emergency fund.

Running costs of the home each month

You won’t know these for a home you haven’t found yet. Use typical figures for a rough idea.

Typical figures are national averages. Real costs depend on the home and the area, so check them for any home you’re thinking of buying.

Council Tax

Depends on the home’s band and the council.

Energy

Gas and electricity.

Water

Water and sewerage.

Broadband

Add your phone if you pay for one.

Home insurance

Your lender will ask for buildings insurance.

Service charge or ground rent (if any)

Flats often have one. Ask the agent.

Repairs and upkeep

Money you put aside for repairs and replacing things.

Turn it into a price

Your deposit, and the rate and term you’d borrow at.

Your deposit

The money you’ll put towards the price. Put 0 if you don’t have one yet.

Interest rate

The yearly rate on a deal you’ve seen. A smaller deposit often means a higher rate.

How many years you’ll take to pay it back

This is called the term. A longer term means lower payments, but more interest overall.

Your top price

Answer the questions and your figures will appear here.

Estimates

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Your top price

Home price
Mortgage
Monthly payment

Not a mortgage offer. Only a lender can say what it will lend.

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Questions about borrowing

Quick answers to what buyers ask most.

Where our figures come from

What lenders might lend: MoneyHelper on what you can afford and on bigger mortgages, checked 28 October 2026.
Keeping three months of costs in reserve: MoneyHelper on what you can afford, checked 28 October 2026.
The limit on bigger loans: the Bank of England’s rule on high loan-to-income lending (PS19/26), checked 28 October 2026.
Typical running costs, checked 28 October 2026: Council Tax, the average per home in England for 2026 to 2027; energy, Ofgem’s price cap for October to December 2026; water, the average bill in England and Wales; broadband, Ofcom’s average for broadband on its own; insurance, the ABI’s average buildings premium.
Typical rate and term: the Bank of England’s average quoted rate for a 2-year fixed mortgage with a 10% deposit, September 2026, and the FCA’s figures on first-time buyer terms (most borrow over 30 years or more).
Take-home pay estimate: Income Tax rates and National Insurance rates for 2026 to 2027, checked 28 October 2026.
The budget figure follows the method in Sift’s guide, Before you search.

How much can I borrow on £30,000, £40,000 or £50,000?

Many lenders lend up to about 4.5 times your yearly pay before tax, and most people are offered less. At 4.5 times:

£30,000 a year: up to about £135,000.
£40,000 a year: up to about £180,000.
£50,000 a year: up to about £225,000.
£60,000 a year: up to about £270,000.

Buying with someone? Lenders usually add your pay together. £30,000 and £25,000 make £55,000, so up to about £247,500. What you’re offered also depends on your spending, debts and credit history.

Can I borrow more than 4.5 times my income?

Some lenders offer 5 or 6 times income to some buyers. But there’s a limit on these bigger loans. Across all lenders, only about 15 in every 100 new mortgages can be for 4.5 times income or more. So most buyers are offered less.

The Bank of England sets this limit to stop too many people borrowing more than they can manage. From 28 October 2026, it applies to all lenders together rather than to each lender. So some lenders may make more of these bigger loans than before.

Who can borrow more than 4.5 times their income?

It isn’t luck. Each lender sets its own rules. Lenders might lend more if you’re a very high earner with a steady career, or if you live in London. They also look at your deposit, your debts, your credit history and how secure your job is.

Because only a limited number of these loans can be made across all lenders, they can be harder to get at some times than others. A mortgage adviser will know which lenders offer them now.

Why do you ask about my budget as well as my pay?

Lenders start with your pay, usually up to 4.5 times it, but that doesn’t mean the payments would feel comfortable. Your budget shows what you could pay each month. Your top price uses whichever is lower, so it’s a figure both a lender and your budget can live with.

How do lenders decide how much to lend?

They look at your income, your spending and debts, how secure your job is, and your credit history. They also check you could still pay if rates went up. You’ll only know for sure when you apply.

Why does a higher rate mean a smaller loan?

The same monthly payment pays off less when the rate is higher. When a fixed deal ends, the next rate is often higher. So it’s worth leaving room in your budget for a higher rate when your deal ends.

Are the typical running costs right for me?

They’re a starting point. Council Tax depends on the home’s band and the council. Energy depends on the size of the home and how well it keeps the heat in. Flats often have a service charge. Check the real costs for any home you’re thinking of buying.

What doesn’t this calculator cover?

Self-employed or changing income, benefits, your debts and credit history, shared ownership and other schemes, and buying without a mortgage. A mortgage adviser can look at your whole situation.