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UK · 2026/27

First-Time Buyer Cash-to-Complete Planner

Add your deposit, legal, survey, moving and other costs to see the cash you still need before property tax. A planning tool, not a mortgage decision.

Source: Bank of England — Statistics
First-Time Buyer Cash-to-Complete Planner · UKFinance & Mortgages

Example result based on the prefilled values.

Cash Needed Before Property Tax

£33,800.00

Costs Entered

£3,800.00

Savings Gap

£8,800.00

Savings Left

£0.00

Deposit

10.00% of Price

Continue your plan

Useful next calculations

Related to this calculation

Rates & sources

Standard amortisation formulas used across UK lenders. Interest rates move daily — confirm with your lender or broker.

Source: Bank of England — Statistics — check the linked guidance and any live quote before acting.

When to use this calculator

  • Before comparing lenders, brokers, or repayment options.
  • When you want to test how a different deposit, rate, or term changes affordability.
  • When you need a quick estimate before using a formal quote or agreement in principle.
  • When you are stress-testing your budget against a potential rate rise to see the impact on monthly payments.
  • When you want to understand the full cost of borrowing — not just the monthly figure — before you commit.

A realistic UK planning example

Use these sample inputs as a quick scenario test, then change one variable at a time to compare outcomes.

Property price (£)

£250,000

Deposit you plan to pay (£)

£50,000

Legal and conveyancing fees (£)

2000

Survey and valuation costs (£)

£500

After entering these figures, review cash needed before property tax, costs entered and savings gap together rather than in isolation — each metric tells a different part of the story. Then rerun the tool with one input adjusted to see which variable has the biggest effect on all three outputs before you settle on a plan.

How to read your results

Cash Needed Before Property Tax

Review this figure alongside your gross income so you can understand the true cost of deductions and plan around any thresholds before the tax year closes. If the figure looks higher than expected, check whether any pension or gift-aid contributions could reduce your taxable income.

Costs Entered

Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.

Savings Gap

Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.

Savings Left

Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.

Deposit

Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.

Method & assumptionsAuthoritative sources

This UK-only planning tool adds only the cash figures you enter: deposit, legal and conveyancing fees, survey or valuation costs, moving costs and other upfront costs. It deliberately excludes Stamp Duty Land Tax because the outcome depends on the property, location and buyer circumstances. Use the linked SDLT calculator for England and Northern Ireland, then verify the amount with your conveyancer.

It does not decide whether a lender will offer a mortgage, whether a deposit source is acceptable, or what a solicitor's final completion statement will contain. Keep a buffer for costs you have not yet quoted and ask your conveyancer and lender for their confirmed figures.

Common mistakes

  • !Mixing up loan amount and property value, which can distort affordability and LTV.
  • !Using a headline rate but forgetting fees, insurance, taxes, or repayment type.
  • !Testing only one term length instead of comparing the payment and total cost together.
  • !Forgetting that a repayment mortgage and an interest-only mortgage produce very different monthly figures and total costs.
  • !Not accounting for the impact of a rate revert after an introductory fixed period ends, which can sharply increase payments.

What to do next

  • Run a second scenario with a higher rate or shorter term so you can see the downside clearly.
  • Compare the result with an affordability or overpayment calculator before applying.
  • Use the related guides below to understand trade-offs before you request live quotes.
  • Note down the monthly payment and total interest for your two or three strongest scenarios so you have a clear comparison ready when you speak to a broker.
  • Check whether making a modest overpayment each month would reduce total interest significantly — run the overpayment calculator next to find out.

Frequently asked

No. Property tax is jurisdiction- and circumstance-specific, so it is deliberately excluded from this total. Use the linked SDLT calculator for England and Northern Ireland and confirm the result with your conveyancer.

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