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    Answer · 2025/26

# What mortgage can I get on dividends only?

Most lenders assess company directors on salary plus dividends and lend around 4.5 times the total, so dividends absolutely count towards your mortgage. The catch is that if you draw low dividends to save tax, your assessable income, and your borrowing, shrink. A minority of lenders use salary plus retained company profit, which can lend more.

      CB

        [Charlie Bailey](https://www.linkedin.com/in/charliebaileyy/) · Founder, Take Home · 6 years in UK accountancy
        Published 2026-05-30 · Updated 2026-05-30 · 3-min read

    On this page
- [Try it yourself](#try)

      - [In detail](#detail)

      - [Related questions](#related-questions)

##

Key takeaways
- Most lenders assess company directors on salary plus dividends and lend around 4.5 times the total, so dividends absolutely count towards your mortgage. The catch is that if you draw low dividends to save tax, your assessable income, and yo...

## Try it yourself

  Quick estimate: indicative borrowing as a director

      Your annual salary (£)

      Your annual dividends (£)

      Income multiple
        4x4.5x (typical)5x5.5x

    An indicative figure based on a common income multiple, not a mortgage offer, a promise of lending, or advice. Most lenders assess salary plus dividends, but some lend on salary plus retained company profit instead, and criteria vary widely. A specialist broker matches you to lenders that read director income correctly.

## In detail

Dividends are normal income for mortgage purposes, but how a lender treats them varies.

The common approach is **salary plus dividends**, usually averaged over the last one or two years, with borrowing of around 4.5 times that income. So a director who pays themselves well will borrow much like an employee on the same total. The problem is tax-driven directors: if you keep dividends low to stay out of higher-rate tax, lenders see a low income and offer a smaller loan.

A smaller group of lenders assess **salary plus retained profit**, looking at what the company earned rather than what you extracted. For a director with profit sitting in the company, that can transform the figure. Our [director mortgage guide](/mortgage-for-limited-company-director) explains both routes, and you will need [SA302s](/sa302-mortgage) to evidence the income.

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- [How do I pay myself as a limited company director?](/ask/how-do-i-pay-myself-as-a-limited-company-director)

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**Information, not advice.** Take Home provides information and calculations, not regulated financial or tax advice. Your circumstances may differ and the figures here are illustrative for the 2025/26 tax year. Speak to a qualified adviser or accountant before acting on anything you read here.

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## Related guides

      [Guide

### Getting a mortgage as a limited company director

Limited company directors can get a residential mortgage, but how much you can borrow depends entirely on how a lender reads your …](/mortgage-for-limited-company-director)
      [Guide

### SA302 and your mortgage: proving self-employed income

An SA302 is HMRC's summary of your income and the tax due for a given tax year, and it is the document mortgage lenders most often…](/sa302-mortgage)
      [Guide

### UK dividend tax calculator (2025/26)

Dividends are taxed at 8.75% in the basic band, 33.75% in the higher band and 39.35% in the additional band, after a £500 tax-free…](/dividend-tax-calculator-uk)

    FAQ

## Frequently asked

      What mortgage can I get on dividends only?

Most lenders assess company directors on salary plus dividends and lend around 4.5 times the total, so dividends absolutely count towards your mortgage. The catch is that if you draw low dividends to save tax, your assessable income, and your borrowing, shrink. A minority of lenders use salary plus retained company profit, which can lend more.

      Do mortgage lenders count dividends?

Yes. Most lenders add your dividends to your director's salary and lend around 4.5 times the total, usually averaging the last one or two years. Dividends are treated as legitimate income.

      Does taking low dividends reduce my mortgage?

Yes. If you keep dividends low for tax reasons, most lenders see a lower income and offer less. Planning your dividends ahead of applying, or using a lender that assesses retained profit, can help.

      Can I get a mortgage on retained profit?

Some lenders assess salary plus your share of retained company profit rather than dividends drawn, which can allow more borrowing for directors who leave profit in the company. A specialist broker can identify them.