Find Out How Much You Can Borrow for a Mortgage in Bristol & Bath
If you’re asking “how much can I borrow?”, our mortgage calculator is the ideal place to start. Whether you’re a first-time buyer, home mover, or self-employed, understanding your borrowing power helps you plan with confidence.
At Strong Mortgage Solutions, we help clients across Bristol, Bath, and surrounding areas understand what they can afford and how lenders assess them.
How Lenders Decide What You Can Borrow
Since the Mortgage Market Review (MMR) in 2014, lenders use an affordability-based model to assess mortgage applications. That means they look at more than just your income. They assess your ability to afford repayments based on:
- Total household income (basic salary, bonuses, self-employed income)
- Outgoings (loans, credit cards, childcare, subscriptions)
- Deposit size
- Credit history
- Number of financial dependents
Lenders typically offer between 4x to 5.5x your income, but this varies by lender and circumstances.
Speak to an Adviser for a more accurate assessment.
Who Can Use This Calculator?
This tool is designed for anyone looking to explore mortgage options:
- First-Time Buyers – Get a sense of your maximum borrowing before viewing properties.
- Home Movers – Understand how much more you could borrow when moving up the ladder.
- Remortgaging Clients – Explore if you could release equity or extend your borrowing.
- Self-Employed – Estimate borrowing using your average income (we can help with tricky cases).
The calculator gives an estimate. For tailored advice, get in touch for a personalised affordability review.
What Affects How Much You Can Borrow?
Income Type
Lenders assess whether your income is consistent and reliable. For example, PAYE income is often treated differently from self-employed or bonus-based income.
Existing Financial Commitments
The more you pay monthly towards other debts (car finance, loans, credit cards), the more this can reduce your affordability.
Deposit Size
A larger deposit may improve your loan-to-value ratio and open up better rates, which can increase how much you can borrow.
Credit Score
A healthy credit score not only improves your chance of approval, but may also allow for a higher borrowing amount.
Number of Applicants
A joint mortgage may allow you to borrow more than applying alone.
Let Us Review Your Situation to explore your true borrowing capacity.
Common Questions About Mortgage Affordability
Local Mortgage Support in Bristol & Beyond
We’ve helped clients across:
- Bristol (including Redland, Southville, Bedminster, Clifton)
- Bath
- Portishead
- Weston-super-Mare
- Clevedon
- North Somerset
- Gloucestershire
- Exeter
Wherever you're based, we’re happy to support you remotely or face-to-face.
Request a Callback for a no-obligation chat.
Take the Next Step
Use the calculator for a quick estimate, then speak to us for tailored advice. Whether you’re just getting started or ready to apply, we’re here to help.
YOUR HOME/PROPERTY MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE.
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We understand that from time to time our clients may find themselves dealing with circumstances that could mean they are potentially vulnerable. For example, a change in health, caring for a family member, or coping with the loss of a loved one. There are many different types of vulnerability, and what makes one person vulnerable might not affect someone else. When we are vulnerable, our need for financial advice may change. However, admitting vulnerability or seeking help can sometimes feel hard.
If this is something you would like to discuss with us, please ask for a copy of our support guide or download a copy here. This guide is designed to help explain vulnerability and the ways in which we might be able to support you. If you feel any of the circumstances in the brochure apply to you, please talk to us
Approved by The Openwork Partnership on 26/02/2025.
Strong Mortgage Solutions is a trading name of Martin Strong which is an appointed representative of The Openwork Partnership, a trading style of Openwork Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
The information on this website is subject to the UK regulatory regime and is therefore targeted at consumers based in the UK.