Most UK lenders will lend between 4 and 4.5 times your annual gross income. Some offer 5 or even 6 times income for high earners with strong affordability. Joint mortgages allow both incomes to be considered. Lenders assess your monthly income against all existing debts, living expenses, and credit commitments. They also apply a "stress test" assuming interest rates could rise by around 3%.

A mortgage broker has access to deals across the whole market, including products not available directly. They can save you time, help with complex situations (self-employed, bad credit), and may find better deals. However, brokers charge fees (some are paid by the lender in commission). Going direct to a lender means no broker fee but a more limited product range. For complex situations, a broker is usually worth the fee.

A fixed-rate mortgage locks your interest rate for a set period — typically 2 or 5 years. Your monthly payments stay the same regardless of Bank of England rate changes. Fixed rates offer certainty and protection against rate rises. When the fixed period ends, you move to the lender's standard variable rate (SVR), which is usually more expensive. It is worth comparing and remortgaging before your fixed deal ends.

If you miss mortgage payments, your lender is legally required to treat you fairly under the FCA's Mortgage Conduct of Business rules. Contact your lender as soon as possible — do not ignore letters. Lenders have a duty to consider reasonable requests for time to pay. If you are in serious financial difficulty, contact a debt advice charity such as StepChange or Citizens Advice, not a fee-charging debt management company.

Joint mortgages give you access to two incomes, usually enabling you to borrow more. Both applicants are jointly and individually liable for the full debt — if one person cannot pay, the other is responsible for the full amount. If your partner has poor credit, a joint mortgage could affect the rate you are offered. Consider what happens if the relationship ends.

The UK government's mortgage guarantee scheme (sometimes called the "95% mortgage scheme") helps homebuyers with small deposits buy property with just a 5% deposit. The government provides a guarantee to the lender, allowing them to offer 95% LTV mortgages. The scheme has helped first-time buyers who had saved a deposit but were struggling to get a mortgage approved. Check current availability at GOV.UK.