Regular spending on weight loss drugs could reduce the amount people can borrow on a mortgage, experts warn. Lenders conduct affordability checks that consider income and outgoings, including regular payments such as subscriptions and memberships.<\/p>\n
Bank statements may reveal monthly outlays for private prescriptions, which could be treated as committed expenditures. A typical private jab cost between \u00a3200 and \u00a3300 monthly, potentially cutting the maximum mortgage for a first-time buyer by up to \u00a320,000, according to Jamie Alexander, director at Alexander Southwell Mortgages.<\/p>\n
There are divergent views in the market about how weight loss drugs impact affordability. Some analysts view these expenses as discretionary and cancelable, which would lessen their effect on borrowing power.<\/p>\n
A study by University College London estimates that about 1.6 million adults in England, Wales and Scotland used weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Mounjaro between early 2024 and early 2025, with many paying privately. Prices for private prescriptions last year ranged from \u00a3100 to \u00a3350 monthly.<\/p>\n
Lenders typically require bank statements and payslips to verify repayments. They also review personal expenses such as gym memberships and entertainment subscriptions, prompting guidance for buyers to trim non-essential outlays before applying for a mortgage.<\/p>\n
Opinion in the broker community varies. Aaron Strutt of Trinity Financial says significant drug spending could prompt lender inquiries, even though such payments are not ongoing credit commitments. If detected, they might influence affordability assessments.<\/p>\n
David Hollingworth of L&C Mortgages notes that this issue is unlikely to cause widespread problems, as the spending could be viewed as discretionary. Underwriters might ask about high outgoings if bank statements raise questions, he adds.<\/p>\n
Nicholas Mendes of John Charcol concurs, stating that high regular outgoings may trigger questions if lenders review statements, though such spending could be canceled.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"