The Real Cost of Buying a Home in the UK (2026)
Your deposit is just the start. On a £300,000 home, the average UK buyer hands over another £9,015 in tax and fees before they get the keys — and most don't see it coming.
Total tax + fees on a £300,000 purchase
£9,015
on top of your deposit — paid before you get the keys.
£5,000 stamp duty, ~£1,665 conveyancing, £500 homebuyer survey, ~£1,250 in mortgage and valuation fees, and ~£600 for removals. First-time buyers pay around £4,015 instead, thanks to SDLT relief.
Upfront cost by purchase price (home mover)
Based on 2026/27 SDLT rates and typical 2026 market fees for a freehold purchase with a standard residential mortgage.
| Cost | £200,000 | £300,000 | £400,000 | £500,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stamp Duty (home mover) | £1,500 | £5,000 | £10,000 | £15,000 |
| Conveyancing & legal | £1,415 | £1,665 | £1,665 | £1,665 |
| Homebuyer survey | £500 | £500 | £600 | £700 |
| Mortgage & valuation fees | £1,250 | £1,250 | £1,250 | £1,250 |
| Removals | £400 | £600 | £800 | £1,000 |
| Total upfront cost | £5,065 | £9,015 | £14,315 | £19,615 |
How first-time buyer relief changes the figures
First-time buyer SDLT relief wipes out stamp duty up to £300,000 and reduces it on purchases up to £500,000. Above £500,000 the relief disappears and standard rates apply on the whole price.
| Cost (first-time buyer) | £200,000 | £300,000 | £400,000 | £500,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stamp Duty (first-time buyer) | £0 | £0 | £5,000 | £10,000 |
| Total upfront cost (FTB) | £3,565 | £4,015 | £9,315 | £14,615 |
At £300k a first-time buyer saves £5,000. At £500k the saving peaks at £5,000; on a £501,000 purchase the relief is lost entirely and the SDLT bill jumps to £15,050.
How we calculated this
Each cost line is modelled with primary-source data for the 2026/27 tax year. Stamp duty uses live HMRC SDLT bands (England & NI). Conveyancing uses median solicitor quotes plus official disbursements. Survey, mortgage and removals figures are mid-points of recently published industry ranges.
- Stamp duty: gov.uk SDLT rates 2026/27 — 0% to £125k, 2% £125k–£250k, 5% £250k–£925k, with first-time buyer relief 0% to £300k and 5% £300k–£500k.
- Conveyancing: RICS / Solicitors Regulation Authority quote data plus Land Registry fee scale and £325 search pack.
- Survey: RICS Home Survey Level 2 (Homebuyer) — £400–£700 typical 2026 range.
- Mortgage fees: Moneyfacts 2026 averages — £1,000 arrangement + £250 valuation.
- Removals: Which? 2026 removals data — small flat to 4-bed house.
Figures assume a freehold purchase with a standard residential mortgage and no chain. Leasehold (+£275), new-build (+£150) and additional-property buyers (5% SDLT surcharge) pay materially more.
Last updated: 2 September 2026.
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