Partial first-time buyer relief at £400,000
The calculator's England first-time buyer tax is £5,000, compared with £10,000 for a home mover. The difference is £5,000.
This is an eligibility-dependent example, not a promise that a particular purchase qualifies.
The cash above a £40,000 deposit
The calculator's core non-tax transaction range is £2,485 to £5,485. It covers legal work, searches, survey and valuation, mortgage fees, registration and bank-transfer fees; it excludes the deposit, property tax, moving, insurance, furnishing and contingency.
The broader England home-mover example places £16,035 above the 10% deposit. It includes the selected moving, insurance and contingency settings but excludes furnishing.
The table below shows deposit choices for a £400,000 home, with columns for Deposit, Cash deposit, and Illustrative mortgage.
| Deposit | Cash deposit | Illustrative mortgage |
|---|---|---|
| 5% | £20,000 | £380,000 |
| 10% | £40,000 | £360,000 |
| 15% | £60,000 | £340,000 |
| 20% | £80,000 | £320,000 |
On smaller screens, scroll sideways to view every column clearly.
Why the nation matters more than the headline price
Home-mover property tax is £10,000 in the England example, £13,350 in Scotland and £10,500 in Wales.
The calculator also handles jurisdiction-specific registration treatment, so total cash can differ even where headline tax figures look close.
The table below shows £400,000 cash examples across the UK, with columns for Scenario, Property tax, and Estimated cash with 10% deposit.
| Scenario | Property tax | Estimated cash with 10% deposit |
|---|---|---|
| England first-time buyer | £5,000 | £51,035 |
| England home mover | £10,000 | £56,035 |
| Northern Ireland home mover | £10,000 | £56,375 |
| Scotland home mover | £13,350 | £59,763 |
| Wales home mover | £10,500 | £56,524 |
On smaller screens, scroll sideways to view every column clearly.
Check whether relief changes your £400,000 total
Select the actual buyer type and nation, then compare the result with your saved deposit and real provider quotes.
After completion, some buyers also look at whether overpaying their mortgage could reduce interest over time, but that should only come after the purchase costs and emergency buffer are covered.
The buying total does not include the bills homeowners need to budget for each month after completion.
Go to the calculatorCompare nearby property prices
If you are budgeting around this price point, it can help to compare nearby price points because deposit size, tax treatment and total upfront cash can change quickly.
FAQ
Questions buyers usually ask
Does a first-time buyer pay SDLT on £400,000?
The calculator returns £5,000 for an eligible England first-time buyer at this price. It is partial relief, not a zero-tax example.
How much cash is needed above a 10% deposit?
The stated England home-mover planning example needs £16,035 above the £40,000 deposit.
Is Scottish LBTT the same as SDLT?
No. Scotland has its own LBTT bands; the calculator returns £13,350 for this home-mover example.
Editorial record
- Page reviewed
- 19 July 2026
- Calculator data
- 2026.07.1
Official charges use linked public rules; quote-led figures remain planning assumptions until you replace them. Read the source and calculation method or report an error.