How much can I borrow? What lenders actually look at

Lenders don't just look at your income — they stress-test whether you could still afford the loan if rates rose. That's why your borrowing power can be lower than you'd expect.

The big levers are: your income (and how stable it is), your living costs, existing debts (including credit card limits, even unused ones), the number of dependents, and your deposit size.

Reducing or closing unused credit cards and personal loans can noticeably lift how much you can borrow. So can a larger deposit, which lowers your loan-to-value ratio.

Our borrowing calculator gives you a rough idea, but every lender assesses differently. The real number comes from a proper assessment — which we'll do with you for free.