Getting a Mortgage on Your Own

You do not need a partner to get a mortgage. Lenders assess a sole applicant in the same way as a couple: your income, your outgoings, your credit history and your deposit. The difference is that one income usually supports a smaller loan, so knowing how lenders calculate it, and how to stretch it sensibly, matters more.

How much could you borrow on one income?

Many lenders lend around 4 to 4.5 times your income, after checking your outgoings. Some go to 5 times or more for higher earners or certain professions. These are maximums, not targets.

Use our affordability calculator for a starting figure.

Income lenders may count

• Basic salary, and often regular overtime, bonus or commission, usually averaged over a period.
• Second jobs, if you have held them long enough.
• Self-employed income from accounts or tax calculations. See our self-employed mortgage guide.
• Some benefits and maintenance, such as Child Benefit or child maintenance, are accepted by some lenders if regular and documented.

If you are a single parent, lenders also factor in childcare costs and the number of dependants, which can reduce what you can borrow, while child-related income may help.

Ways to improve what you can borrow

• Reduce credit commitments. Car finance and credit card balances reduce affordability.
• Check your credit files and fix any errors before applying.
• Consider a longer term, if it is affordable and you understand the higher total cost.
• Look at lenders that suit your income. Some are better with variable pay, contract work or self-employment.
• Grow your deposit. A bigger deposit means a smaller loan and access to lower rates.

Deposit options

Many lenders accept a 5% deposit, so you do not necessarily need 10%. A Lifetime ISA adds a 25% bonus on up to £4,000 a year, and family can help with a gifted deposit. Our first-time buyer deposit guide has worked examples.

When one income is not quite enough

• Shared Ownership. Buy a share of a home and rent the rest, so the mortgage you need is smaller.
• Joint borrower sole proprietor. A parent adds their income without owning the home.
• Guarantor mortgage. A family member backs your payments.
• Family Springboard. A family member’s savings act as security, allowing 100% borrowing.
• Right to Buy. If you are a council tenant, your discount can act as a deposit.
• Buying with a friend. You can buy jointly with someone who is not a partner. You are both liable for the whole mortgage, so a declaration of trust setting out each person’s share is strongly advised.

Buying alone when you have a partner

You can buy in your sole name even if you have a partner, but lenders usually require anyone aged 17 or over who will live in the home to sign an occupier’s consent, giving up rights to stay if the home is repossessed. For Stamp Duty, married couples and civil partners are treated together, so a purchase in one name can still attract the higher rates if your spouse owns another home. Speak to your conveyancer before deciding whose name goes on the purchase.

Stamp Duty for single buyers

If you are a first-time buyer in England or Northern Ireland, you pay no Stamp Duty on the first £300,000 and 5% on the portion up to £500,000. Buying alone can sometimes help here: if an unmarried partner has owned a home before, buying jointly with them would remove the relief, because every buyer must qualify. See who counts as a first-time buyer.

Protecting a single-income household

With no second income to fall back on, think about how you would keep up payments if you were ill or out of work. Income protection and life insurance are not compulsory, but they are worth considering. We can introduce you to our protection specialists.

Single buyer FAQs

Find out what you could borrow

We can check which lenders give the best result on your income and what options could close any gap. Your initial consultation is free.