Mortgage Capacity Snapshot: A Confident Step Toward a Fresh Start
Oliver Ben+Reece • November 10, 2025
This week’s case focuses on a client who is currently navigating a divorce and exploring her mortgage options as she plans for a fresh start. It’s a situation many people find themselves in — balancing the emotional and practical sides of separation while wanting to secure a stable home for the future.
Despite the challenges that often come with change, this client’s financial foundation is strong. She earns a gross annual income of just over £52,000, with an additional annual bonus of around £8,500, demonstrating both consistency and reliability in her employment. A soft credit check revealed just one small credit card balance of around £2,270, with manageable monthly repayments, and very few other ongoing commitments — a solid footing when it comes to affordability.
When we reviewed options across a range of mainstream lenders, the figures were encouraging. The client’s maximum mortgage capacity was estimated between £226,000 and £266,000, depending on the lender’s criteria. NatWest stood out as the most generous, offering up to £266,400, based on an 85% loan-to-value against a notional £500,000 property.
To give this some perspective, that borrowing could translate to monthly repayments of around £2,035 on a two-year fixed rate, or slightly higher on a five-year option. Both routes provide flexibility depending on how she wishes to structure her new financial chapter.
Overall, her profile shows strong affordability — stable income, low liabilities, and sensible monthly outgoings. Even amid major life changes, she’s in an excellent position to move forward confidently with a new mortgage.
In conclusion, this assessment highlights how financial stability and careful planning can make all the difference during life transitions. With the right advice and lender fit, clients like this can turn a challenging period into an empowering fresh start.
