Birmingham, UK - An ink enthusiast dubbed Britain's "most tattooed man" revealed that he's giving up his passion until his mortgage gets cleared by the bank.

Mathew Whelan admitted in 2022 to having spent more than $51,000 on body art, but he has now decided to press pause on the obsession for the sake of his home.

With more than 90% of his body covered in ink, the Birmingham man who goes by "King Body Art" is widely considered to be the most tattooed man in the UK.

Such a status comes with great responsibility, but what's more important than Whelan's lifestyle is getting himself cleared for an $85,000 mortgage, especially as his country is currently going through a cost-of-living crisis.

"I'm taking a break from being inked while I concentrate on clearing my mortgage," Whelan told Need to Know. "So I'll be slowing down over the next few years."

Having spent so much time and so much money going under the needle in recent years, Whelan believes that with interest rates where they are he needs to "limit" his addiction.

"I might still get some ink every other year, but with interest rates going up, I hope to be mortgage-free in four years," he said. "Getting tattoos can be an addiction. However, this is a lifestyle for me, which I can start and pause whenever I please."

"I have a budgeting plan in place, and this means I'll have to limit my lifestyle, but I'll be happy to have that out of the way and done."