Mortgage on a £30,000 salary: how much can you borrow? (UK, 2026)
On a £30,000 salary most UK lenders will lend up to £135,000 — 4.5× income. Combined with a £15,000 deposit that's a £150,000 property budget. The numbers are tight at this income level — affordability and credit profile matter more than ever.
Income and deposit
Loan terms
Max property budget: £0
Monthly repayment: £0
A guide, not a mortgage offer. Actual lending depends on credit history, regular outgoings, contract type and stress-tested affordability — a broker can sharpen this estimate.
What £30k actually buys
A £30,000 gross salary is roughly £25,800 net (£2,150/month) after income tax and NI in the 2026 tax year.
| Multiple | Max loan | + £10k deposit | + £15k deposit | + £30k deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0× (conservative) | £120,000 | £130,000 | £135,000 | £150,000 |
| 4.5× (typical) | £135,000 | £145,000 | £150,000 | £165,000 |
| 5.0× (strong applicants) | £150,000 | £160,000 | £165,000 | £180,000 |
| 5.5× (specialist) | £165,000 | £175,000 | £180,000 | £195,000 |
Source: Mainstream UK lender LTI caps as published in 2026.
Monthly payment on £30k
Affordability is binding before income multiple at this salary. Lenders stress-test against payments of roughly 40% of gross monthly income — £1,000/month in your case.
| Loan | Rate | 25-year monthly | 30-year monthly | % of gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £100,000 | 4.5% | £556 | £507 | 22% |
| £135,000 | 4.5% | £751 | £684 | 30% |
| £150,000 | 4.5% | £834 | £760 | 33% |
| £150,000 | 5.5% | £921 | £852 | 37% |
| £150,000 | 6.0% | £966 | £899 | 39% |
If rates climb above 5.5%, a £150,000 mortgage on £30k income starts brushing the affordability ceiling. A 30-year (or 35-year) term is usually the practical fix — lenders are happy to extend term for younger borrowers.
Where joint income changes the picture
A £30,000 + £30,000 joint application produces: - 4.5× combined → £270,000 max loan - With £15,000 deposit: £285,000 budget - Monthly on £270k at 4.5% over 25 years: ~£1,501
That brings the average UK first-time buyer property (£235,000 in 2026) cleanly within reach for a young couple — even without family deposit help.
Worked examples
Example 1 — First-time buyer, £30k PAYE, £15k deposit, no debt. Eligible at 4.5× → £135,000 max loan. Combined with deposit, £150,000 budget. With FTB relief in England, no stamp duty. Monthly at 4.5% / 25y: ~£751.
Example 2 — £30k PAYE plus £150/month student loan deduction. Lenders treat student-loan deductions as committed expenditure but usually with smaller weighting than unsecured debt. Effective borrowing might still be close to £130,000 — most mainstream lenders won't penalise a Plan 2 graduate loan as heavily as a credit card.
Example 3 — £30k + £30k joint with £20k deposit. 4.5× combined = £270,000 max loan, £290,000 budget. At this price level you're well above first-time-buyer relief in England (£300k threshold), so stamp duty is £0 if both qualify as first-time buyers.
Schemes that move the needle at £30k
- First Homes (England) — up to 50% discount on new-build for eligible first-time buyers
- Shared ownership — buy 25–75% of a property, rent the rest, lower mortgage and deposit needed
- Help to Buy ISA / Lifetime ISA — 25% government bonus on savings used for deposit
- Help to Buy: Wales — equity loan up to 20% on new-build properties in Wales
- Open Market Shared Equity (Scotland) — 10–40% equity loan from Scottish Government
These can stretch a £30k income further than any mortgage product on the open market.
Where Offrly fits
At £150,000 you're shopping in the busiest, most price-sensitive part of the UK property market. Properties near the FTB stamp-duty threshold are particularly competitive, and overpaying by £5,000 is real money out of an already-tight deposit. Offrly's AI reads each comparable's photos (garden, condition, layout, finish) and hyperlocal pricing resolves prices to the street rather than the postcode — in about 30 seconds. Free. No email.
Other mortgage calculators: On £40k salary · On £50k · On £60k · On £80k · On £100k · Joint income (£60k+£40k) · Self-employed · First-time buyer · Head calculator
Disclaimer: This calculator is for illustration only. Not a mortgage offer and not financial advice. Actual lending depends on your full financial profile, credit history, regular outgoings and the lender's stress-tested affordability model. For a real decision in principle, speak to a whole-of-market broker or a lender directly.
FAQ: Mortgage on a £30,000 salary: how much can you borrow? (UK, 2026)
How much mortgage can I get on a £30,000 salary?
Most UK lenders cap residential mortgages at 4.5× gross income — so £135,000 on a £30,000 salary. Some go to 5× (£150,000) for borrowers with low debt and stable income, but at this income point most lenders apply a stricter affordability test. Specialist 5.5× products are rare for this profile. Source: Bank of England financial stability reports and FCA mortgage market data 2026.
What property price can I afford on £30k?
Loan + deposit. With a £15,000 deposit and 4.5× multiple you reach £150,000. With a £30,000 deposit you reach £165,000. Add stamp duty (£0 if first-time buyer in England up to £300k), conveyancing (~£1,500) and survey (~£500) on top — these come from cash, not the mortgage.
What's the monthly payment on a £135,000 mortgage at £30k?
Around £750/month on a 25-year repayment mortgage at 4.5%. That's 30% of gross monthly income (£2,500/mo), within the typical 40% stress-test ceiling. Stretch to 30 years and the monthly drops to about £684.
Should I apply with a partner or family member?
Joint applications use combined income, so two £30k earners can typically borrow up to £270,000. A 'joint borrower sole proprietor' arrangement (parent helps with affordability, child owns the property alone) is increasingly common — but lenders check it carefully and SDLT treatment depends on whether the helper goes on the title.
Are there government schemes I should know about?
First Homes (England) gives up to 50% off a new-build for eligible first-time buyers — designed exactly for buyers in the £30k income bracket. Shared ownership lets you buy a share (25–75%) and rent the rest, lowering the deposit and mortgage size needed. Help to Buy ISA / Lifetime ISA give 25% top-up on savings used for a deposit.