For first-time buyers, movers & remortgagers
Buying a home? Let's make it make sense.
Mortgage Notes is a free, plain-English guide to mortgages in England. We explain the jargon, show what things actually cost, and help you work out what you can afford — with no sign-ups and no sales pitch.
New to all this? You're in the right place. We don't assume you know what "LTV" or "SDLT" means — we explain it when it matters.
Pick your starting point
Where are you in the journey?
The best first page depends on where you are. Pick whichever sounds most like you and we'll take you to the right guide.
I'm buying my first home
Everything from deposit to completion — the whole process in plain English.
The first-time buyer guide →I'm moving house
Stamp duty's bigger when you move. Here's the honest total-cost picture.
What moving really costs →I'm remortgaging
Your fix is ending? Start 6 months early. Here's how to do it right.
The remortgaging guide →I'm just learning
No house-hunting yet — just getting your head around how this all works.
Start with the glossary →The basics, in 60 seconds
What a mortgage actually is
A mortgage is a loan to buy a home
The bank lends you most of the money. The home is the security — if you stop paying, eventually they can take it back. That's it. The rest is details about how much, at what rate, for how long.
You need a deposit
The money you put in yourself, usually between 5% and 20% of the price. A bigger deposit means a smaller loan, better rates and more lenders willing to offer you one. On a £250,000 house, 10% is £25,000.
You pay it back monthly
Over 25 to 40 years, typically. Each month you pay interest on what's left plus a slice of the loan itself. Eventually the balance hits zero and the home is yours, no mortgage.
Start with the numbers
How much house can you afford?
The most useful question to answer first. Our affordability calculator works out everything — deposit, stamp duty, solicitor, survey, monthly payment — at today's rates.
Open the affordability calculator →Other tools
- Stamp duty calculator — what tax you'll pay on the purchase
- Monthly repayment calculator — what your payments will look like
- How much can I borrow? — quick borrowing check from income
- Overpayment savings — what paying extra really saves you
The questions everyone asks
Answered in plain English
How much deposit do I actually need?
5% is the usable minimum in the UK, 10% opens more lender choice and better rates, and 15-20% is where rates start to level off. On a £250,000 home, a 5% deposit is £12,500; 10% is £25,000. If that feels far away, that's normal — most first-time buyers save for 3-5 years.
How much can I borrow?
UK lenders generally cap at 4 to 4.5 times your annual income. So if you earn £35,000, expect to be able to borrow £140,000 to £160,000. Joint applications combine both incomes. Some lenders go to 5× for certain jobs or on specific first-time-buyer products — but don't plan around that unless you've confirmed it.
What's stamp duty and do I have to pay it?
Stamp duty is a tax you pay when you buy a home. In England, first-time buyers pay nothing on homes up to £300,000 — which covers most UK first-time buyer purchases. If you're moving (not a first-time buyer), you pay 2% on the portion between £125k and £250k and 5% between £250k and £925k.
Do I need a mortgage broker?
For most first-time buyers, yes — and a good one is free to you (the lender pays them). A broker has visibility of the whole market and knows which lenders will accept you based on your specific situation. Going direct to your bank limits you to their products only.
Fixed-rate or tracker — which should I pick?
Fixed-rate locks your interest rate (and so your monthly payment) for 2, 3, 5 or 10 years. Most UK first-time buyers choose a 5-year fix for certainty. Tracker rates move with Bank of England changes — cheaper if rates fall, uncomfortable if they rise. Go fixed unless you can absorb a payment shock.
What are the hidden costs beyond the deposit?
Stamp duty (if it applies), legal fees (£1,200-£2,500), a survey (£400-£900), a mortgage arrangement fee (£0-£1,999) and removals (£500-£1,500). For a typical £275,000 first-time purchase, budget an extra £2,500-£4,500 on top of the deposit.
More to read in the full guides or the glossary.
Today's rates, at a glance
What it costs to borrow in April 2026
Bank of England Bank Rate
3.75%
This is the rate set by the Bank of England. Most mortgage rates are loosely connected to it — when it changes, mortgage rates often follow.
Typical 5-year fix (10% deposit)
5.20%
A typical first-time buyer rate: 5 years of fixed payments, with a 10% deposit. Your own rate will depend on your situation.
Typical 5-year fix (25% deposit)
4.55%
Bigger deposit, better rate. This is why saving an extra few percent toward a higher deposit often pays off.
Updated 18 April 2026. See the full rate tracker.
Help that exists
Government & industry schemes
The government (and some housing associations) run schemes to help people onto the ladder. Not all of them apply to everyone — here are the main ones, in plain English.
Freedom to Buy
Buyers with a 5% deposit
Permanent replacement for the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme — government-backed 95% LTV mortgages, launched 2025.
LiveFirst Homes
First-time buyers aged 18+
New-build homes sold at 30–50% below market value, with the discount locked in for every future sale.
LiveShared Ownership
Buyers who can't afford outright
Buy a 10–75% share of a home (5% on new AHP-funded homes) and pay rent on the rest.
LiveLifetime ISA
First-time buyers aged 18–39 (open), –50 (contribute)
Save up to £4,000/year and the government adds a 25% bonus — free deposit top-up (£1,000/year max).
LiveDeposit Unlock
New-build buyers with a 5% deposit
Industry scheme run by HBF and reinsurers — 5% deposit on specific new builds from participating lenders.
LiveDiscount Market Sale (DMS)
Local buyers of new-build homes
A 20–50% discount on a new-build, set and administered by the local council under s.106 planning.
Where you're buying matters
House prices by region
The average home in London costs over £550,000. In the North East, it's £170,000. That changes what you need to save, what you can borrow and which schemes work for you. Pick your region for a local guide.
London
- Typical home
- £540,000
- First-time buyer
- £475,000
South East
- Typical home
- £390,000
- First-time buyer
- £325,000
South West
- Typical home
- £320,000
- First-time buyer
- £275,000
East
- Typical home
- £340,000
- First-time buyer
- £285,000
West Midlands
- Typical home
- £245,000
- First-time buyer
- £215,000
East Midlands
- Typical home
- £235,000
- First-time buyer
- £205,000
Yorkshire
- Typical home
- £210,000
- First-time buyer
- £185,000
North West
- Typical home
- £225,000
- First-time buyer
- £195,000
North East
- Typical home
- £170,000
- First-time buyer
- £150,000
Who are we and why should you trust us?
We're a free guide, not a sales pitch.
Mortgage Notes doesn't take your email. We don't sell your details. We don't get paid more if you pick one lender over another. (We don't get paid anything right now.) Our job is to give you the clearest, most honest picture of what you're dealing with.
We're not mortgage advisers — that's a specific, regulated job, and we don't do it. When you're ready to actually apply for a mortgage, speak to an FCA-authorised adviser (free brokers like L&C, Habito and Mojo are good starting points, or your bank will do it).
- No sign-ups. Read, calculate, leave. No wall, no email prompt.
- No sales pitch. We're not selling mortgages; we're explaining them.
- Dated figures. Every rate, cap and threshold carries the date it was checked.
- Plain English. Jargon gets explained the first time it appears.
Not sure where to start?
The first-time buyer guide is where most people begin — whether you're actually buying your first home or just want a clear picture of how mortgages work.
Read the first-time buyer guide