In the UK in 2025, how much you can borrow for a mortgage typically depends on your income, financial circumstances, and lender criteria. Most lenders allow borrowing between 4 to 5 times your annual income as a standard range. For borrowers with strong financial profiles, some lenders—like Santander—offer up to 5.5 times income, especially if you have a deposit of at least 10%. This flexibility aims to help first-time buyers and move-up buyers access larger loans given recent easing of loan-to-income caps by the Bank of England. Additionally, the government now offers a Mortgage Guarantee Scheme allowing some mortgages with as little as a 5% deposit, further increasing borrowing potential. Borrowing limits consider:

• Your gross annual income and any joint income if applying together.
• Affordability checks including outgoings and credit history.
• Loan-to-value (LTV) ratios; lower deposits may reduce borrowing power.
• Stress tests on interest rate increases to ensure affordability.

To summarize typical borrowing multiples:

• Standard: 4 to 4.5 times income
• High earners and strong financial profiles: up to 5.5 times income
• Government-backed schemes may allow higher borrowing with smaller deposits

For a rough example, a £40,000 annual income could enable mortgage borrowing between about £180,000 to £220,000 or more in some cases, depending on lender and deposit size. Online calculators from major lenders like HSBC, Nationwide, and Santander can provide personalized estimates based on income and deposit inputs. For the most accurate borrowing figure, a Decision in Principle from a lender is recommended. These recent changes have widened borrowing capacity for many, especially first-time buyers, while still subject to prudent affordability assessments in the UK mortgage market in 2025.