How much car finance can I get?
Work out how much car finance you might afford based on your salary, outgoings and deposit. This calculator suggests a maximum monthly payment and total car budget using typical UK affordability rules. For salary examples and monthly payment guides, try our free UK car affordability calculator. Actual lender offers depend on your credit file and their criteria—this is an estimate only, not financial advice.
Reviewed by: James Hartley, Independent personal finance editorLast updated:
Disclaimer
This calculator is for estimation only. It is not financial advice and does not represent a lending decision. Your actual affordability and car finance options in the UK depend on your circumstances and the criteria of individual UK lenders. Always check real quotes from lenders or speak to a regulated financial adviser before committing.
Calculator
Your affordability result
Stretch- Recommended max monthly payment
- £348
- Estimated max car budget
- £16,552
- Estimated finance amount
- £14,552
- Total interest
- £2,142
- Total repayable
- £16,693
Based on your income and 15% affordability, you could put around 348 per month towards a car. Over 48 months at the rate you entered, that supports a finance amount of about 14552. With your deposit, your total car budget is approximately 16552. This is an estimate only—actual offers depend on lender criteria.
Check your finance options
Use the calculators on this site to see a rough budget, then check live offers with UK finance providers. We are not a lender and we do not make lending decisions—everything here is an estimate only.
Calculators run in your browser and do not store personal details.
How much car finance can I get by salary?
As a rough guide using the 15% affordability rule:
| Salary | Typical take-home | Max payment (15%) | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| £25,000 | ~£1,700/mo | ~£255/mo | £25k guide |
| £30,000 | ~£2,000/mo | ~£300/mo | £30k guide |
| £40,000 | ~£2,600/mo | ~£390/mo | £40k guide |
| £50,000 | ~£3,150/mo | ~£470/mo | £50k guide |
| £60,000 | ~£3,700/mo | ~£555/mo | £60k guide |
See all salary bands on our car affordability by salary UK hub page.
What UK lenders look at
When deciding how much car finance to offer, UK lenders typically consider your gross and net income, employment stability, existing credit commitments (mortgage, loans, credit cards), credit history and the vehicle itself. A larger deposit and shorter term can improve your chances of approval and may unlock better APRs. If you have a weaker credit history, see our car affordability with bad credit UK guide with higher-APR worked examples.
Affordability vs finance calculator
This page answers "how much car finance can I get?"—it starts from your income. Our car finance calculator UK answers "what will I pay for this car?"—you enter a price and see the monthly payment.
How much car finance can I get? – FAQs
How much car finance can I get?
It depends on your income, existing credit commitments, deposit, credit score and the lender's criteria. As a planning guide, many UK borrowers keep finance payments within 10–15% of take-home pay. Our calculator estimates a maximum monthly payment and loan amount from your salary—actual offers will vary.
How much car finance can I get on £30k salary?
On £30,000 a year, take-home is typically around £2,000 per month. At 15% affordability that suggests roughly £300 per month for finance, supporting a car budget of around £8,000–£12,500 depending on deposit, term and APR. Lenders may offer more or less based on your credit file.
What do UK lenders look at for car finance?
Lenders typically check your income, employment status, existing loans and credit cards, credit history, and the car you want to buy. They apply their own affordability rules, which may differ from the 10–20% guideline used in this calculator.
Is this the same as a car finance calculator?
A car finance calculator starts from a car price and shows your monthly payment. This page starts from your income and shows how much finance you might afford. Use our car finance calculator when you have a specific car price in mind.
What percentage of income should go on car finance?
Many guides suggest keeping car costs to around 10–15% of your net income so you have room for insurance, fuel and other expenses. Our calculator lets you choose conservative (10%), standard (15%) or aggressive (20%) to compare.
Sources & notes
Our calculators and guides draw on publicly available UK guidance. We review content periodically but do not guarantee that external sources remain unchanged. See our about page for how we use these tools.
Sources
- MoneyHelper – How to find the right way to buy a car
General guidance on budgeting and car finance options in the UK.
- MoneyHelper – Work out your budget
Household budgeting principles used alongside affordability rules of thumb.
- FCA – Consumer credit and your rights
Regulatory context for regulated car finance agreements.
- FCA Handbook – CONC 5.2A (creditworthiness and affordability)
How FCA-regulated lenders must assess affordability (illustrative reference).
- Black Horse – Car finance (sample lender information)
Example of how a major UK motor-finance provider describes its products.
- Santander – Car finance (sample lender information)
Example lender product information; rates and criteria vary by provider.
Compliance notes
- Car Affordability UK is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). We do not provide regulated financial advice, credit broking or lending.
- Calculator outputs are illustrative estimates based on the inputs you provide and published third-party guidance. They are not quotes, offers of credit or lending decisions.
- FCA-regulated lenders apply their own affordability assessments, which may differ from the percentage rules of thumb used on this site. Always check formal terms before signing any agreement.
- We may earn commission if you follow links to third-party finance comparison services. This does not affect how our calculators work or how content is reviewed.