Answers · UK 2025/26

How big a mortgage can I get on a £80,000 salary?

Typically around £360,000, based on the common 4.5x income cap (4.5 x £80,000). Some lenders stretch to 5x (£400,000) 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 £80,000 salary you can usually borrow about £320,000 to £360,000. Some lenders offer 5x or 5.5x for higher earners with strong credit files and limited existing debt, potentially reaching £400,000 to £440,000, but this is always subject to a detailed affordability assessment covering other loans, credit card balances, childcare and a stress-tested higher interest rate. Worked example: borrowing £360,000 over 25 years at 5.0% costs about £2,104.52 a month. On a £80,000 salary your take-home pay for 2026/27 is roughly £4,746.45 a month after Income Tax (£19,432 a year) and National Insurance (£3,610.60 a year), so that payment is around 44.3% of net income -- higher than most lenders prefer, meaning borrowers at this income level often need a substantial deposit, a longer term, or joint income from a partner to make the maximum multiple actually affordable in practice.