Answers · UK 2025/26

How big a mortgage can I get on a £70,000 salary?

Typically around £315,000, based on the common 4.5x income cap (4.5 x £70,000). Some lenders stretch to 5x (£350,000) or more for higher earners with strong credit, but affordability checks on outgoings can pull the figure down.

Last updated: 3 July 2026Last reviewed: 3 July 2026How we verify

Full answer

Most UK mortgage lenders cap borrowing at roughly 4 to 4.5 times gross annual income, so on a £70,000 salary you can usually borrow about £280,000 to £315,000. Some lenders offer 5x or 5.5x for borrowers with strong credit and low existing debt, potentially reaching £350,000 to £385,000, but this is subject to a full affordability assessment that deducts other loans, credit card balances, childcare and a stress-tested higher interest rate. Worked example: borrowing £315,000 over 25 years at 5.0% costs about £1,841.46 a month. On a £70,000 salary your take-home pay for 2026/27 is roughly £4,263.12 a month after Income Tax (£15,432 a year) and National Insurance (£3,410.60 a year), so that payment is around 43.2% of net income -- above the level most lenders prefer, which is why higher earners often need a larger deposit or a longer mortgage term to bring monthly payments down to a more comfortable share of take-home pay.