Guides
What is a Mortgage Capacity Report?
10 June 2026 · 5 min read
A Mortgage Capacity Report tells the court how much each party could realistically borrow on a residential mortgage. Here is what it includes and why it matters.
A Mortgage Capacity Report (MCR) is an independent, expert-signed statement of how much each party in a divorce could borrow on a residential mortgage in their own name today.
Family courts and solicitors use the report to model realistic housing outcomes when dividing assets — particularly when one party hopes to keep the family home or buy a new one.
What goes into an MCR
A qualified mortgage adviser reviews each party's income, dependants, monthly commitments, credit profile, and intended term. They then run the figures through current lender affordability models — at BrightMCR we use Mortgage Brain's Affordability Brain across 55+ lenders.
The output is a clear figure (or range) for the maximum loan each party could secure, along with an indicative monthly payment and the assumptions used.
Why courts ask for one
Without an MCR, the parties and the judge are guessing what is achievable. With one, they can compare realistic options — sell and split, transfer with a charge-back, or one party buying the other out — against actual lender capacity.
Reports are typically commissioned by either solicitor, jointly, or by direction of the court. BrightMCR delivers a signed PDF in one working day for £249.
Keep reading
- How lenders calculate affordability in 2026
Most UK lenders combine an income-based cap with an affordability stress test and take the lower of the two. Here is how the main three differ.
- MCRs for solicitors: what to look for in a report
Not all Mortgage Capacity Reports are equal. Here are the markers of a report that will hold up in court.