Can we afford a house if one income stops?
“One income” is a stress test, not a prediction. It helps you answer a high‑trust question: if one income drops temporarily, could you cover the shared monthly costs without immediately falling behind? This calculator runs that check using your mortgage, bills, and shared costs.
How to interpret “one-income” safely
The one‑income check compares each person’s take‑home pay to the total shared cost. If one income can cover the shared cost, you have a basic resilience buffer. If neither can, the plan may still work — but it relies on savings, family support, or a very stable income situation.
You can improve resilience in a few straightforward ways: lower the house price, increase the deposit, add a maintenance buffer so you’re not surprised later, or temporarily reduce shared costs (like shared groceries).
Worked examples (with numbers)
Open an example to view the one‑income tab and the +1% / +2% mortgage scenarios.
A quick “resilience” checklist
- Can either income cover the shared cost for a short period?
- At +2% rate, do you still have meaningful leftovers?
- Do you have an emergency fund that covers essentials (even if it’s not perfect)?
- Have you included a maintenance buffer so the plan reflects reality?