7 articles tagged with First-Time Buyer.
With UK base rate at 4.25% in May 2026, is a 2-year fix or a 5-year fix the better bet? Full numbers on a £250,000 mortgage including break-even rate scenarios, ERC risks and remortgage costs.
If you opened a Help to Buy ISA before 30 November 2019 you have until 1 December 2030 to claim the 25% government bonus on up to £12,000 of savings. Here's how the deadline works and whether to transfer to a Lifetime ISA.
The Lifetime ISA 25% withdrawal charge is not the same as losing the 25% bonus — it claws back more. Worked example on a £20,000 LISA closed early: the real penalty is 6.25% of your contributions, plus all the growth on the recovered bonus.
On a £40,000 UK salary, most lenders will offer between £160,000 and £180,000 — but joint applications, debt, and rate stress tests can shift that by £50,000 either way. Here's the maths.
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.
How much stamp duty (SDLT, LBTT, LTT) you pay on a £300,000 home varies by hundreds of pounds across the UK nations. Full comparison for first-time buyers, home-movers and second-home purchasers in 2026.
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.