Answers · UK 2025/26

How big a mortgage can I get on a £90,000 salary?

Typically around £405,000, based on the common 4.5x income cap (4.5 x £90,000). Some lenders stretch to 5x (£450,000) 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 £90,000 salary you can usually borrow about £360,000 to £405,000. Some lenders offer 5x or 5.5x for borrowers with a clean credit history and manageable existing commitments, potentially reaching £450,000 to £495,000, but the income multiple is only a starting point -- lenders run an affordability assessment that deducts other loans, credit card balances, childcare and a stress-tested higher interest rate before confirming how much they will lend. Worked example: borrowing £405,000 over 25 years at 5.0% costs about £2,367.59 a month. On a £90,000 salary your take-home pay for 2026/27 is roughly £5,229.78 a month after Income Tax (£23,432.00 a year) and National Insurance (£3,810.60 a year), so that payment is around 45.27% of net income -- at or above the level many lenders consider comfortable, meaning a smaller loan, a longer term, or a bigger deposit may be needed to bring the payment down.