First-Time Buyer in 2026: The Real Total Cost Beyond the Deposit
Beyond the deposit, a UK first-time buyer in 2026 typically spends £4,000–£8,000 in fees, surveys, taxes and moving costs. Here's the full itemised list with realistic numbers on a £250k purchase.
Quick answer
Beyond the deposit itself, a UK first-time buyer in 2026 typically spends:
| Cost line | England | Scotland | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stamp duty / LBTT / LTT (£250k FTB) | £0 | £950 | £1,200 |
| Solicitor / conveyancer fees | £1,200 | £1,200 | £1,200 |
| Local authority + drainage searches | £350 | £350 | £350 |
| Land Registry fee | £150 | £80 | £150 |
| Property survey (Level 2) | £500 | £500 | £500 |
| Mortgage valuation | £200 | £200 | £200 |
| Mortgage arrangement fee | £1,000 | £1,000 | £1,000 |
| Mortgage broker fee (optional) | £400 | £400 | £400 |
| Removals (typical 2-bed) | £600 | £600 | £600 |
| Buildings insurance (year 1) | £200 | £200 | £200 |
| Total beyond deposit (£250k) | £4,600 | £5,480 | £5,800 |
On top of this, a 10% deposit of £25,000 brings total cash needed to £29,600 (England) — almost £30,000 to buy a £250,000 home.
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Stamp duty / LBTT / LTT
This is where the UK's three property-tax systems differ most for first-time buyers:
England and Northern Ireland (SDLT) — FTB relief
| Property price | SDLT (first-time buyer) |
|---|---|
| Up to £300,000 | £0 |
| £300,001 – £500,000 | 5% on slice above £300k |
| Above £500,000 | Standard SDLT scale applies (no FTB relief) |
On a £250k FTB purchase in England: £0. On a £350k FTB purchase in England: 5% × £50,000 = £2,500. On a £550k FTB purchase: full standard SDLT scale = £17,500 (FTB relief gone entirely).
Scotland (LBTT) — FTB relief
| Property price | LBTT (first-time buyer) |
|---|---|
| Up to £175,000 | £0 |
| £175,001 – £250,000 | 2% on slice |
| £250,001 – £325,000 | 5% on slice |
| £325,001 – £750,000 | 10% on slice |
| Above £750,000 | 12% on slice |
On £250,000 FTB: 2% × £75,000 = £1,500.
Update: from 1 April 2024, Scotland's FTB threshold actually sits at £175,000 (matching the standard nil-rate band) — there isn't really separate FTB relief in the same way England has it. Effectively a non-FTB pays the same.
Wales (LTT) — no FTB relief
Wales has the highest entry rate but no first-time buyer special relief:
| Property price | LTT |
|---|---|
| Up to £225,000 | £0 |
| £225,001 – £400,000 | 6% on slice |
| £400,001 – £750,000 | 7.5% on slice |
| £750,001 – £1.5m | 10% on slice |
| Above £1.5m | 12% on slice |
On £250,000 in Wales: 6% × £25,000 = £1,500.
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Stamp duty calculatorSolicitor / conveyancer fees
The legal work to transfer ownership. £1,000–£1,800 is normal; complex sales (leasehold, unregistered land, helping with Help to Buy redemption) push higher.
What to check before instructing:
- Quote should be fixed-fee, not estimate.
- What does it include? Searches, ID verification, Land Registry filing, mortgage lender liaison should all be in the headline number.
- Is it priced per transaction or per hour? Avoid hourly billing for standard purchases.
- CQS accreditation — the Conveyancing Quality Scheme is the bare minimum to look for.
Searches (£250–£450)
The solicitor commissions searches with local authorities and water companies to confirm there's nothing nasty about the property — planning enforcement, drainage issues, contaminated land, mining (in some regions). Itemised separately on the bill in most cases.
Land Registry fee
A government fee for officially recording you as the new owner. Scales by property price:
| Property price | Land Registry fee |
|---|---|
| Up to £80,000 | £20 |
| £80,001 – £100,000 | £40 |
| £100,001 – £200,000 | £100 |
| £200,001 – £500,000 | £150 |
| £500,001 – £1m | £295 |
| Above £1m | £500 |
Online registration is slightly cheaper than postal. In Scotland this is the Registers of Scotland fee (similar scale).
Property survey
Three levels under RICS:
- Level 1 (Condition Report): £300–£400. Minimal. Skip — you might as well not have one.
- Level 2 (HomeBuyer Report): £400–£700. Adequate for most modern properties in good condition.
- Level 3 (Building Survey): £600–£1,300. Recommended for older properties (pre-1900), unusual construction, properties showing signs of issue.
The survey is the single most under-valued line item in the FTB purchase. Skipping it to save £500 is a false economy — buyers who don't survey routinely face £3,000–£10,000 of surprise repairs in year one.
Mortgage valuation
£150–£300 depending on lender, sometimes waived as a promotional incentive on certain products. Required by the mortgage lender even if you're also paying for your own RICS survey.
Mortgage arrangement fee
A fee paid to the lender to set up the mortgage. Two common structures:
- Flat product fee: £499, £999, £1,495, etc. Often the same fee maps to a lower interest rate — sometimes worth paying.
- No-fee product: slightly higher rate, but no upfront fee. Often better for smaller mortgages.
A common decision rule: if the rate-with-fee saves more interest over the fix period than the fee costs, take the fee product. Often £999 fee saves £40/month of interest = £2,400 over a 5-year fix on a £200k mortgage. Easy maths.
You can usually add the fee to the loan — but you then pay interest on it for the life of the mortgage, which adds up.
Mortgage broker fee
Optional. Whole-of-market brokers either:
- Take commission from the lender (no fee to you, "fee-free" service), or
- Charge a fixed fee (£300–£600) — often justified for complex cases or contractor mortgages where they shop around extensively.
For straightforward £200k 90% LTV purchases, fee-free brokers are perfectly adequate.
Removals
Self-hire van + friends: ~£200 with sweat equity. Pro removal company, 2-bed: £400–£800. Long-distance / 3-bed+: £700–£1,500.
Buildings insurance
Required by the mortgage lender — must be in force from the date of exchange (not completion). £150–£300/year for a typical 2-bed property. Contents is separate (and optional, but advisable).
Other "year-one" costs to budget for
These don't go to closing the purchase but hit in the first 30–60 days:
- Council tax — set up on the day of completion.
- Utilities — gas, electricity, water, internet. Setup typically free if you bring usage; switch fees if you switch immediately.
- Furniture and white goods — first-time buyers move into an empty box; assume £2,000–£5,000 for "make it liveable" essentials.
- Repairs from your survey — even a Level 2 will surface 2–5 items to address; budget £500–£2,000.
Worked example — Mia in Manchester
Mia buys her first home in May 2026 — a £230,000 two-bed terrace in Manchester. She's saved a 10% deposit and has £8,000 in additional cash savings.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Deposit (10% of £230k) | £23,000 |
| SDLT (FTB, under £300k) | £0 |
| Solicitor + searches | £1,650 |
| Land Registry | £150 |
| Level 2 survey | £550 |
| Mortgage valuation | £200 |
| Mortgage arrangement fee (added to loan, not cash) | — |
| Removals (van + helpers) | £350 |
| Buildings insurance year 1 | £180 |
| Subtotal — cash needed at completion | £26,080 |
| Buffer for council tax / utilities first 30 days | ~£500 |
| Furniture essentials (sofa, bed, fridge) | ~£3,000 |
| Survey-identified roof tile repair | £400 |
| Total cash needed within 60 days | ~£29,980 |
Mia's £23,000 deposit was actually only 77% of her total purchase cost in the first 60 days. The other £7,000 is the "real" buyer's reserve.
Hidden traps to avoid
- Don't move money the week before exchange. Your solicitor will check the source of your deposit. Large unexplained recent transfers cause AML delays.
- Don't change jobs the week before completion. Lenders re-check your employment status close to drawdown. A new job offer can torpedo the mortgage.
- Don't take new credit (car finance, BNPL, credit cards) between offer and completion. Even small new debts trigger affordability re-checks.
- Don't assume the seller's "as seen" extras stay. Curtains, white goods, sheds — get them on the TA10 fittings and contents form during the legal process, or expect to find them gone on move-in.
- Don't skip the homebuyers survey. Worth it. Always.
- Don't underestimate the post-completion bills. First-time buyers routinely run their savings to zero in month 1 because they hadn't budgeted for the furniture / utility / decorating outlay.
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Stamp Duty Calculator
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Sources
- HMRC: Stamp Duty Land Tax: First Time Buyers' Relief
- Revenue Scotland: Land and Buildings Transaction Tax
- Welsh Revenue Authority: Land Transaction Tax
- gov.uk: HM Land Registry fees
- RICS: Home Surveys and Reports
- Council of Mortgage Lenders / UK Finance: [Lender requirements summary 2026]
Frequently asked questions
What's the total upfront cost for a UK first-time buyer in 2026?
On a £250,000 property, expect around £19,000–£23,000 in total: a 10% deposit (£25,000) plus £4,000–£8,000 in fees including solicitor, survey, mortgage arrangement, moving, and either £0 SDLT (England FTB relief, properties up to £300k) or £950 LBTT (Scotland) or £1,200 LTT (Wales).
Do first-time buyers pay any stamp duty in 2026?
In England and Northern Ireland, no SDLT on properties up to £300,000 (then 5% on £300,001-£500,000, then standard rates above). In Scotland, no LBTT up to £175,000 (then standard rates). In Wales, there's no FTB relief — you pay LTT on the standard scale.
What's the biggest hidden cost?
Usually the survey — a Level 2 HomeBuyer Report costs £400-£700, a Level 3 Building Survey £600-£1,300. Many first-time buyers skip this, then face £5,000+ of unexpected repairs in their first year. Don't skip the survey.
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In-depth guides
Related reading
Spring Budget 2026: Housing, Stamp Duty and the Property Market
Part 4 of our Spring Budget 2026 deep-dive — SDLT thresholds, first-time buyer relief, second-home surcharges, the housing market response and what it means for buyers, sellers and landlords.
SDLT Surcharge for Foreign Buyers UK 2025
Non-UK resident buyers of residential property in England or Northern Ireland pay a 2% SDLT surcharge on top of normal rates — and the 5% second-home surcharge stacks. Full breakdown with worked examples.
SDLT 5% Surcharge on Second Homes: The Additional Dwelling Supplement Explained
Buying a second home or buy-to-let in England or NI? You pay a 5% SDLT surcharge on top of standard rates (raised from 3% in October 2024). Worked examples on £200k-£500k properties