How much can I borrow with a 10% deposit? Maximum 90% LTV mortgage sizes by lender
Tags: First-time buyers, Residential mortgages
Quick Summary
A 10% deposit gives buyers access to 90% loan-to-value (LTV) mortgages, but the maximum amount available varies significantly between lenders. Based on criteria available on 4 September 2026, some mainstream banks will lend up to £1 million at 90% LTV, while selected lenders can go higher.
Nationwide and Santander can potentially offer mortgages of up to £1 million with a 10% deposit, while HSBC’s maximum is £775,000 and Halifax’s is £750,000. Barclays currently has a lower maximum of £640,000 for houses at this LTV. Metro Bank can consider larger 90% LTV loans, although separate limits can apply to new-build properties.
Maximum income multiples also vary. Depending on the lender and borrower profile, applicants may potentially access between 5.5 and 6.5 times salary, subject to affordability and lending criteria.
Deposit size affects both borrowing limits and mortgage pricing. A borrower with a 10% deposit will normally have access to different rates than someone with 15%, 20% or 25%. First-time buyers, next-time buyers, new-build purchasers, houses and flats may also be treated differently, making lender selection especially important for higher-value 90% LTV mortgages.
You can work out your loan-to-value (LTV) by dividing your mortgage amount by your property's value, then multiplying by 100. LTVs matter because lenders use them to price mortgages based on risk and deposit size.
How much can I borrow with a 10% deposit? What is the maximum mortgage HSBC, Barclays, Santander, and other larger lenders offer with a 10% deposit?
With a 10% deposit, you are looking at a 90% loan-to-value (LTV) mortgage, but the maximum mortgage size varies quite significantly between the big lenders and smaller providers.
You can generally borrow between £750,000 and £1.25 million, although Trinity's brokers have access to Hodge for Intermediaries, which offers 10% deposit mortgages up to £2 million, and Investec Private Bank offers £3 million+ mortgages with a 10% deposit.
Aaron Strutt, product director at Trinity Financial, says: “Mortgage criteria can be far more complicated than borrowers expect. Maximum loan sizes and loan-to-value limits can vary depending on whether you are a first-time buyer, moving home or buying a new-build property, and lenders often have separate rules for houses and flats.
“Deposit size also matters because mortgage pricing is split into different LTV bands. A borrower with a 10% deposit will normally have access to different rates than someone putting down 15%, 20% or 25%. The lender offering the largest mortgage at one LTV may not be the best option at another. This is why borrowers need to look at the whole picture rather than simply choosing the lowest headline rate.”
Based on lender criteria available on 4 September 2026, this is a useful comparison for a standard residential purchase:
| Lender | Maximum mortgage with 10% deposit | Maximum mortgage income multiple | Key point |
| Nationwide for Intermediaries | £1,000,000 | Up to 6 times salary | One of the highest mainstream 90% LTV limits. |
| Accord for Intermediaries | £1,000,000 | Up to 5.5 times salary | Accord Mortgages offers 10% deposit mortgages up to £1 million for houses and flats. |
| Hodge for Intermediaries | £2,000,000 | Up to 6 times salary | Higher rates but much more generous than most lenders. |
| Santander for Intermediaries | £1,000,000 | Up to 5.5 times salary | Santander confirms up to £1m at 90% LTV. |
| HSBC for Intermediaries | £775,000 | Up to 6.5 times salary | HSBC's current 90% products have a £775k maximum loan. |
| Halifax for Intermediaries | £750,000 | Up to 5.5 times salary | Standard lending limit is £750k at 90% LTV; above this, max LTV falls to 85%. |
| Barclays for Intermediaries | £640,000 | Up to 6 times salary | Barclays increased its high-LTV maximum to £640k for houses. |
| Metro Bank for Intermediaries | £1,250,000 | Up to 6 times salary | Maximum 90% Up to £1,125,000 loan amount (£675,000 for New Builds |
| Investec for Intermediaries | £3,000,000+ | Varies | Private bank with different rules from high street lenders. |
Source: Trinity Financial. Maximum loan sizes with a 10% deposit per mortgage lender.
Nationwide and Santander stand out for up to £1m mortgages with a 10% deposit
For someone buying a more expensive property, Nationwide and Santander are particularly interesting because they can potentially lend £1 million at 90% LTV.
That means, in pure deposit terms, someone could potentially buy a property for around £1.11 million with a deposit of approximately £111,111.
This does not mean everyone with £111,111 automatically qualifies for a £1 million mortgage. The lender will still assess your income, bonuses, debts, childcare costs, credit history and other commitments.
HSBC for Intermediaries
HSBC currently caps its mainstream 90% LTV mortgage at £750,000. HSBC can still be particularly attractive for high-income borrowers. Its current criteria say qualifying Premier customers may potentially borrow up to 6.5 times income at up to 90% LTV, while qualifying first-time buyers may potentially access up to 5.5 times income.
Halifax for Intermediaries
Halifax also has a £750,000 maximum mortgage at 90% LTV. Once the mortgage exceeds £750,000, its standard maximum LTV reduces to 85%.
Halifax can be worth considering for first-time buyers because its enhanced affordability rules can allow some qualifying applicants to borrow more relative to their income.
Barclays is more restrictive at 90%
Barclays is unusual because the property type matters significantly. For higher-LTV lending, the maximum loan is currently around £640,000 on a house but only £310,000 on a flat.
This can be particularly important for London buyers. Someone purchasing a £600,000 London flat with a £60,000 deposit would need a £540,000 mortgage, for example, so Barclays' high-LTV flat limit could rule the application out even if affordability was otherwise strong.
How much income would you need?
As a very rough illustration, ignoring each lender's detailed affordability assessment:
| Mortgage | At 4.5× income | At 5× income | At 5.5× income | At 6× income | At 6.5× income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £500,000 | £111,111 | £100,000 | £90,909 | £83,333 | £76,923 |
| £600,000 | £133,333 | £120,000 | £109,091 | £100,000 | £92,308 |
| £750,000 | £166,667 | £150,000 | £136,364 | £125,000 | £115,385 |
| £900,000 | £200,000 | £180,000 | £163,636 | £150,000 | £138,462 |
| £1,000,000 | £222,222 | £200,000 | £181,818 | £166,667 | £153,846 |
Source: Trinity Financial. How much can I borrow with a 10% deposit?
Actual affordability can be materially different, especially for applicants receiving bonuses, commission, overtime, RSUs or self-employed income.
Trinity Financial's brokers compare affordability across banks, building societies and specialist mortgage lenders to establish how much applicants could potentially borrow and which lenders' criteria best suit their circumstances.
Call Trinity Financial on 020 7016 0790 to secure a fixed or tracker rate 10% deposit mortgage, book a consultation, or use our appointment calendar
The information contained within was correct at the time of publication but is subject to change. It is for general information purposes and is not advice.
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