How many lenders offer 5 or 5.5 times salary mortgages?
Which lenders offer five or five and a half times salary mortgages?
As of May 2025, there is a good selection of lenders offering mortgages at 5 or 5.5 times your salary.
Borrowing at 5 times single or joint salary is more common in the mortgage industry, as most lenders' qualification rules are more lenient. Higher income multiples of 5.5 or 6 times salary are typically reserved for borrowers who meet specific criteria, such as being a first-time buyer, meeting higher income thresholds, having larger deposits, or working in certain professions.
Some of the UK's larger mortgage lenders, including HSBC, Santander, and Halifax, have announced they have eased their mortgage affordability rules. In many cases, they will be issuing mortgages worth up to £39,000 more. This may mean more borrowers do not need income stretch products.
Aaron Strutt, product director at Trinity Financial, says, "Mortgage lenders use affordability calculators to determine how much applicants can borrow, and credit cards, loans, school fees, car finance, children, and other regular credit commitments reduce the maximum borrowing amount.
"This makes high loan-to-income multiples like 5.5 times salary mortgage useful, as often borrowers need 5.1 or 5.2 times salary to get the mortgage loan size they require. That said, the Nationwide Helping Hand product offering six times salary has been incredibly popular."
Banks and building societies offering five to 5.5 times salary mortgages
| Lender | Max Income Multiple | Minimum Income Requirement | Loan-to-Value (LTV) Limit | Eligibility Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationwide Building Society | Up to 6x | £35,000 (single), £55,000 (joint) | Up to 95% (5% deposit) | Available to first-time buyers via the Helping Hand range |
| Halifax | Up to 5.5x | £50,000+ | 90% (10% deposit) | Different rules for first-time buyers earning £50,000+ on Boost product |
| Santander for Intermediaries | Up to 5.5x | £100,000+ | 75% (25% deposit) | For loans over £1,000,000; lower multiples apply at higher LTVs |
| Barclays for Intermediaries | Up to 5.5x | £75,000+ (single), £100,000+ (joint) | Up to 85% | Higher multiples for high earners; lower multiples for incomes between £45k–£99k |
| HSBC for Intermediaries | Up to 5.5x | £100,000+ | Up to 85% | Need to be a higher-earning premier customer to get 5.5 times your salary |
| Leeds Building Society | Up to 5.5x | £40,000+ | Up to 95% | Available to first-time buyers via the Income Plus mortgage |
| Accord Mortgages | Up to 5.5x | £75,000+ | Not specified | Typically for borrowers with a combined income of at least £75,000. On the Boost LTI product |
| Kensington for Intermediaries | Up to 6x | £100,000 | Can lend up to 6x on the Select range for applicants earning over £100k | |
| Clydesdale Bank for Intermediaries | Up to 5.5x | £30,000+ | Not specified |
Be fully qualified and employed or self-employed working as: Accountants, Architects, Barristers, Chartered Surveyors, Dentists, Medical Doctors, Pharmacists, Solicitors, Vets. |
Source: Lender websites
Are 5- or 5.5-times-salary mortgages more expensive?
The bigger banks and building societies offer 5 or 5.5 times salary mortgages, and do not typically charge higher rates for their more generous loan-to-income calculations.
Some specialist lenders, such as Hodge, Tipton, and Kendington, charge higher rates if you need an income boost.
Regulatory limits
The Bank of England restricts lenders from offering more than 15% of their new mortgages at income multiples above 4.5 times salary. This means that while higher multiples are available, they are limited and subject to stricter eligibility criteria. There is a chance these rules could be relaxed after campaigning from the Nationwide Building Society and pressure from the UK government, which is currently pushing for economic growth.
If you're considering a mortgage at 5 or 5.5 times your salary, it's advisable to consult with a mortgage broker who can assess your individual circumstances and guide you to suitable lenders.
Here is a table to show how much you may be able to borrow depending on your salary:
| Single or joint income | 4.5x salary borrowing | 5x salary borrowing | 5.5x salary borrowing |
| £50,000 | £225,000 | £250,000 | ££275,000 |
| £75,000 | £337,500 | £375,000 | £412,500 |
| £100,000 | £450,000 | £500,000 | £550,000 |
| £125,000 | £562,500 | £625,000 | £687,500 |
| £150,000 | £675,000 | £750,000 | £825,000 |
| £250,000 | £1,125,000 | £1,250,000 | £1,375,000 |
Key Considerations for 5 and 5.5x salary mortgages
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Income thresholds: Higher income multiples are generally available to individuals or households with higher earnings. For instance, Santander requires a minimum income of £100,000 for a 5.5x multiple. Some smaller lenders offer more generous income multiples, but they charge higher rates.
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Deposit size: Lenders often require larger deposits for higher income multiples. For example, Santander offers 5.5x income multiples up to a 75% LTV, necessitating a 25% deposit.
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Professional mortgages: Some lenders offer higher income multiples to professionals in certain fields, such as doctors, lawyers, and accountants. Clydesdale Bank provide such options.
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First-Time Buyers: Products like Nationwide's Helping Hand and Leeds Building Society's Income Plus are designed to assist first-time buyers with higher borrowing limits.
Call Trinity Financial on 020 7016 0790 to secure a mortgage, book a consultation, or complete our mortgage questionnaire.
The information contained within was correct at the time of publication but is subject to change.
Your mortgage is secured on your property. Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage
Nationwide for Intermediaries offers a two-year fix at 3.90% for larger mortgage loans between £300,000 and £5 million for borrowers purchasing a property. The overall cost for comparison is 6.7% APRC. The fixed rate is 0.05% more expensive for remortgages.
If you borrowed £1 million on the 3.90% two-year fix, the monthly interest-only cost would be £3,250 increasing to £4,716.68 on capital repayment over a 30-year term.
This mortgage is available on either an interest-only or capital repayment basis, and borrowers require a 40% deposit to access the rate. After two years, Nationwide's mortgage will revert to a standard variable rate of 6.99% unless you switch deals, and early repayment charges apply.
Representative example: A Nationwide capital and interest mortgage of £1,000,000 payable over 30 years, initially on a fixed rate basis at 3.90% for two-years and then on the lender's 6.99% standard variable rate for the remaining 28 years. The 3.90% rate would require 24 monthly repayments of £4,716.68 followed by 336 payments of 6,541.36. The total amount repayable would be £2,312,611.28 made up of the loan amount, plus interest (£1,311,097.10) and £1,495 (product fee), £0 (final repayment charge), £15 (completion fee). The overall cost for comparison is 6.7% APRC representative.
Contact Trinity Financial on 020 7016 0790 to find out how much your £1 million mortgage would cost.
Be a first time buyer. This means you will not have had a mortgage in the last 3 years. If applying jointly, both applicants need to be first time buyers.
- Have at least 5% deposit.
- Take out a 5 or 10 year fixed rate mortgage.
- Be employed and not self-employed.
- Meet minimum income thresholds.
- Lloyds Banking Group makes £2bn* lending available to first-time buyers borrowing between 4.5x salary and up to 5.5x salary
- New loan-to-income ratio designed to boost maximum mortgage loan sizes
- Up to 22% additional lending with First Time Buyer Boost scheme
Whether you take a fixed or tracker rate really depends on your current financial situation, relationship status, and attitude to risk. Most borrowers take two or five year fixes.
Many borrowers coming up to remortgage or get on the property ladder will be wondering if they should take a two-year, five-year, or a tracker, and the answer depends on their attitude to risk. Many borrowers want payment security, so they opt for five-year fixes. Those taking two-year deals often suspect rates will come down and there may be more competitively priced rates over the near to medium term.
It is not always advisable to take a fixed rate if you are planning to sell your home soon, or if you are getting divorced (and your partner and kids are not staying in the property) or your financial situation is changing because you are leaving your job or moving away. If you want to keep your home and your financial situation changes, lenders offer permission to let.
Tracker mortgages often do not have any early repayment charges, allowing borrowers to sell their property and repay the mortgage without paying high early repayment fees.
This is general information. To speak to an expert and discuss your situation, call one of Trinity Financial's brokers on 020 7016 0790 or book a consultation.
• You contact one of our consultants by calling 020 7016 0790 or complete our basic enquiry form or mortgage questionnaire for a more detailed initial response.
• You tell us what you are looking for, and we assess your mortgage and financial protection needs based on your monthly budget.
• We collect the necessary information and documentation that banks and building societies require.
• Based on the information provided, we offer you illustrations of the most suitable products for your specific circumstances.
• We then submit the application on your behalf to secure a mortgage offer as quickly as possible. This is once you have confirmed you are happy to proceed.
• We manage the application through to completion and liaise with all involved parties, including valuers, estate agents, and solicitors.
• Post-completion we are available for any questions. When you reach the end of your initial product, we are also able to discuss any further mortgage, will or financial protection product requirements.
As part of our ongoing service commitment, we will contact you at least three months before your fixed or tracker rate expires to ensure you avoid reverting to an expensive, standard variable rate.
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