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NEWS: 6x Salary Mortgages Now Available from Several Major UK Lenders
For many mortgage applicants, the upper limit on mortgages is the most frustrating part of the process. A typical lending cap of 4.5x income creates an artificial ceiling, especially for those in high-value areas such as London.
While some lenders were offering 5.5x loan-to-income (LTI) mortgages to applicants with a strong credit profile, house prices have continued to rise faster than salary growth, meaning many potential home buyers were stopped a little short of securing their desired homes.
For individuals and couples with a combined salary of £75,000 or more, the arrival of 6x mortgages makes a significant difference, raising the upper barrier when compared to a 5.5x LTI by at least £37,500 (or approximately 5% of the property value).
Why Are Lenders Increasing Mortgage LTI to 6x?
Loan-to-income ceilings are used as the first stage in a more complex affordability evaluation, one that lenders have been extremely cautious about for the past few years.
When interest rates rose sharply in Q4 2022 and into 2023, the pressure on borrower income to meet mortgage obligations increased significantly; lenders were justified in re-evaluating the market and tightening mortgage stress tests.
However, while salaries rose conservatively, property prices did not suffer the same level of stagnation, continuing to rise in line with inflation.
By midway through 2025, the disparity between average salary and average property price was becoming increasingly tense; lenders continued to evaluate affordability with prudence and tight mortgage restrictions were putting properties out of reach.
A drop in the Bank of England Base Rate at the end of 2025 and predictions of further lowering in 2026 have reduced mortgage rates, while the market remains stable.
With renewed confidence, lenders are more comfortable reassessing affordability limitations for borrowers with higher incomes and proven creditworthiness, a situation seen clearly in the rise to 6x LTI mortgages.
These larger mortgages provide opportunities for high-earning first-time borrowers and home movers to obtain properties that only a few months ago would have seemed impossible.
Who Can Apply for a 6x LTI Mortgage?
Existing regulations haven’t dramatically changed and lenders must still be cautious when offering their highest loan values, with regulatory limits on the percentage of high LTI mortgages in their portfolios.
Borrower income stability and affordability, therefore, remain essential considerations for lenders, who are reserving their 6x offerings to clients for whom the larger mortgage size doesn’t represent an inappropriate risk.
This means potential borrowers are applying in a competitive space and must demonstrate strong financials to meet current lender requirements.
As it stands, this does limit the opportunities for self-employed applicants and those reliant on bonuses or irregular income streams, though a well-presented long-term financial portfolio may be considered in specialist cases.
Across the spectrum, 6x mortgages are not yet ubiquitous enough to help those on more modest and middle incomes. Individuals earning £30,000 to £60,000 should continue to set realistic expectations of more standard 4.5x products.
Deposits and Fixed Terms for 6x Salary Mortgages
Lenders remain somewhat flexible with 6x LTI mortgages, however, potential borrowers should be aware of lender preferences.
Some lenders require slightly larger deposits with their 6x products:
Barclays limits LTV to 85% (15% deposit), while NatWest is tighter at 75% (25% deposit).
In contrast, Nationwide is offering its 6x mortgages with a focus on first-time buyers, as high as 95% LTV (5% deposit), and even offers a 6.5x mortgage for remortgagers.
Many of these products do come with longer fixed-term periods that may have considerable early repayment charges, locking you into remaining with the lender and unable to easily renegotiate mortgage rates for a minimum of five years.
Higher LTI mortgages, such as 5.5x and 6x mortgages, are limited to capital plus interest (repayment) mortgages designed for residential owner-occupiers. Interest-only and buy-to-let mortgages are currently outside the scope of these high-value options.
The Future for 6x Mortgages
Mortgage lending is a competitive market. While lenders are conservative, they also react appropriately to greater market trends. Already in 2026, we’re seeing a more comfortable mortgage market for borrowers with many lenders re-evaluating their stress test rates in line with recent mortgage rate changes.
The move for some of the major lenders to improve the mortgage ceiling through 6x LTI mortgages is likely to hold and expand, with the wider market making similar adjustments.
This would be a welcome movement as the gap between salary and property prices continues to widen.
Whether over time, a similar LTI adjustment will be made at a wider market level cannot be comfortably assessed and current 4x and 4.5x standard calculations are likely to hold for the majority of lenders in the meantime.
Applying for a 6x Salary Mortgage with Clifton Private Finance
As a whole-of-market mortgage broker, at Clifton Private Finance we have established relationships with the banks and specialist lenders who are currently offering 6x mortgages, as well as those exploring similar options.
With our comprehensive pre-approval process, we can evaluate your circumstances prior to the final application to maximise the chance of acceptance.
Our expert brokers will help you compare the best mortgage deals, as well as balance rates and flexibility to find the right tailored mortgage to suit your precise needs.
For a free consultation, speak to Clifton Private Finance today.
