FIRST-TIME BUYER · 2026/27
First-time buyer budget calculator
Add up the deposit and upfront costs you need before buying your first UK home.
What this calculator does
This calculator combines the deposit with purchase tax, legal fees, surveys and other upfront buying costs so you can see the cash you need before exchange and completion.
Estimated result
- SDLT
- £2,500
- Mortgage required
- £315,000
- Deposit percentage
- 10.0%
- Costs excluding deposit
- £7,449
Automatically applies first-time buyer purchase-tax bands where available. Welsh LTT has no general first-time buyer relief. Additional-property and non-resident surcharges are not selected here.
Worked example
A £350,000 purchase with a £35,000 deposit can still require a lot more cash once tax, conveyancing, survey and moving costs are added.
Common mistakes
Do not budget only for the deposit.
Do not ignore nation-specific purchase tax rules.
Do not forget legal, survey and moving costs when comparing homes.
Why the result can differ
Nation-specific purchase tax and local fees can change the total materially.
First-time buyer reliefs and buyer status affect the result.
Mortgage fees, survey choice and moving assumptions are user-driven inputs.
What this calculator does
It combines the deposit, purchase tax, legal fees, survey fees and moving costs into one total so a first-time buyer can see the real cash needed. That is usually more useful than thinking in deposit-only terms.
Worked example
A buyer looking at a £350,000 home with a 10% deposit still needs extra cash for tax, conveyancing, surveys and removals. This page turns those items into a single budget number so the shortfall is visible early.
Why the result can differ
England, Scotland and Wales use different purchase-tax systems, and lender or solicitor costs can vary widely. The user’s own location, relief eligibility and chosen survey level all move the total.
SOURCES & REVIEW
Checked against official guidance
Last reviewed 14 July 2026 · Rule version GB-2026.27.1
Daily/weekly source monitoring. If a source changes, the affected rule set is reviewed before publication.
All source links are kept visible so you can verify the figures used on this page.
MoneyHelper: Buying and moving costs ↗Sources, methodology and update policy →Report an issue or correction →WHY RESULTS DIFFER
Why two users can see different results
Why the result can differ
Different tax codes, payroll periods, Scottish bands, pension methods or lender assumptions can change the outcome.
One-off bonuses, pay frequency, overpayments, allowances and reliefs can move the result away from a simple annual estimate.
Where a rule depends on eligibility or legal status, this page shows an estimate and links to official guidance.
This section is intentionally repeated on key tools so the explanation stays near the result instead of being hidden in a separate policy page.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions
Does this calculate SDLT, LBTT or LTT automatically?
It gives a buying-cost estimate, but the exact purchase tax depends on the nation and buyer circumstances.
Does it include the deposit?
Yes. The deposit is part of the total cash needed.