How much deposit do you need to buy a home in the UK in 2026?
The deposit you need depends entirely on where you buy. As of January 2026, a 10% deposit ranges from just £11,308 in Aberdeen to £102,282 in Kensington and Chelsea, according to HM Land Registry first-time buyer data.
This guide shows the real deposit amounts at 5%, 10%, and 15% for every major UK city — so you can see exactly what you need to save.
What deposit do you need in the UK's most affordable cities?
These 20 cities have the lowest first-time buyer property prices in the UK. A 10% deposit in many of these areas is under £15,000.
| City | FTB price | 5% deposit | 10% deposit | 15% deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen | £113,084 | £5,654 | £11,308 | £16,963 |
| Hartlepool | £113,979 | £5,699 | £11,398 | £17,097 |
| Dundee | £120,530 | £6,027 | £12,053 | £18,080 |
| Durham | £123,208 | £6,160 | £12,321 | £18,481 |
| Middlesbrough | £124,848 | £6,242 | £12,485 | £18,727 |
| Blackpool | £126,310 | £6,316 | £12,631 | £18,947 |
| Sunderland | £128,382 | £6,419 | £12,838 | £19,257 |
| Blackburn | £135,741 | £6,787 | £13,574 | £20,361 |
| Gateshead | £135,961 | £6,798 | £13,596 | £20,394 |
| Stoke-on-Trent | £136,788 | £6,839 | £13,679 | £20,518 |
| Darlington | £143,476 | £7,174 | £14,348 | £21,521 |
| Carlisle | £154,521 | £7,726 | £15,452 | £23,178 |
| Barnsley | £155,710 | £7,786 | £15,571 | £23,357 |
| Doncaster | £158,946 | £7,947 | £15,895 | £23,842 |
| Preston | £165,469 | £8,273 | £16,547 | £24,820 |
| Halifax | £166,180 | £8,309 | £16,618 | £24,927 |
| Bradford | £166,944 | £8,347 | £16,694 | £25,042 |
| Glasgow | £167,060 | £8,353 | £16,706 | £25,059 |
| Liverpool | £167,535 | £8,377 | £16,754 | £25,130 |
| Lincoln | £168,623 | £8,431 | £16,862 | £25,293 |
What deposit do you need in the UK's most expensive cities?
London boroughs dominate the most expensive list. In Kensington and Chelsea, even a 5% deposit is £51,141 — more than a 15% deposit in most northern cities.
| City | FTB price | 5% deposit | 10% deposit | 15% deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kensington and Chelsea | £1,022,820 | £51,141 | £102,282 | £153,423 |
| Westminster | £817,540 | £40,877 | £81,754 | £122,631 |
| Camden | £695,654 | £34,783 | £69,565 | £104,348 |
| Richmond upon Thames | £633,057 | £31,653 | £63,306 | £94,959 |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | £624,269 | £31,213 | £62,427 | £93,640 |
| Islington | £618,753 | £30,938 | £61,875 | £92,813 |
| Wandsworth | £577,041 | £28,852 | £57,704 | £86,556 |
| Hackney | £564,641 | £28,232 | £56,464 | £84,696 |
| Haringey | £539,378 | £26,969 | £53,938 | £80,907 |
| Southwark | £515,735 | £25,787 | £51,574 | £77,360 |
| Merton | £510,144 | £25,507 | £51,014 | £76,522 |
| Ealing | £486,769 | £24,338 | £48,677 | £73,015 |
| Lambeth | £480,949 | £24,047 | £48,095 | £72,142 |
| Brent | £479,121 | £23,956 | £47,912 | £71,868 |
| Waltham Forest | £470,458 | £23,523 | £47,046 | £70,569 |
| Kingston upon Thames | £463,901 | £23,195 | £46,390 | £69,585 |
| St Albans | £463,136 | £23,157 | £46,314 | £69,470 |
| Barnet | £461,425 | £23,071 | £46,143 | £69,214 |
| Hounslow | £448,220 | £22,411 | £44,822 | £67,233 |
| Redbridge | £446,363 | £22,318 | £44,636 | £66,954 |
Where can you buy with a £25,000 deposit?
A £25,000 deposit is enough for a 10% deposit in 79 UK cities. If you stretch to a 5% deposit, the number of accessible cities grows further — though you will pay higher mortgage rates.
- Scotland: Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow, Perth, Inverness, Stirling, Edinburgh
- North East: Hartlepool, Durham, Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Gateshead, Darlington, Newcastle
- North West: Blackpool, Blackburn, Carlisle, Preston, Liverpool, Wigan, Bolton, Lancaster, Oldham, Warrington, Chester, Manchester
- West Midlands: Stoke-on-Trent, Telford, Wolverhampton, Walsall, Coventry, Dudley, Birmingham, Stafford, Worcester, Shrewsbury
- Yorkshire: Barnsley, Doncaster, Halifax, Bradford, Rotherham, Huddersfield, Wakefield, Hull, Sheffield, Leeds, Harrogate, Scarborough
- East Midlands: Lincoln, Mansfield, Chesterfield, Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, Kettering, Loughborough, Northampton
- Wales: Wrexham, Swansea, Bridgend, Newport, Barry, Cardiff
- South West: Plymouth, Torquay, Gloucester, Swindon, Truro, Taunton, Exeter, Bournemouth, Poole
- East of England: Ipswich, Norwich, Peterborough
- South East: Hastings, Southampton, Eastbourne, Portsmouth
At a 5% deposit, £25,000 would cover a property worth up to £500,000, which opens up nearly every city outside London and the South East. Use our affordability calculator to check what you can realistically borrow.
Why does your deposit size affect your mortgage rate?
Lenders price mortgages in LTV bands — typically 60%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, and 95%. Each band reflects the lender's risk: the less equity you have, the more they charge. As of March 2026, according to the Bank of England, the base rate sits at 4.5%, but actual mortgage rates vary by 1–2 percentage points depending on your LTV band.
| Deposit % | LTV | Typical rate premium | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% | 95% | +0.8–1.2% | Getting on the ladder with minimal savings |
| 10% | 90% | +0.3–0.6% | Best balance of rate and accessibility |
| 15% | 85% | +0.1–0.3% | Better rates, more lender choice |
| 25%+ | 75% or less | Baseline | Best rates available |
How can first-time buyers save for a deposit faster?
The average first-time buyer takes 5–10 years to save a deposit. Here are proven strategies to speed things up:
- Lifetime ISA: Save up to £4,000/year and get a 25% government bonus (£1,000/year). Over 4 years, that is £20,000 including bonuses.
- Shared Ownership: Buy a 25–75% share of a property with a smaller deposit on just your share. Check government schemes for eligibility.
- Family support: Gifted deposits are accepted by most lenders. Some also offer guarantor mortgages where parents provide security without gifting cash.
Read our full first-time buyer guide for a step-by-step breakdown of the buying process.