HomeThink Annual Report · 2026
The True Cost of Moving House in the UK in 2026
~£8,900
Average total transaction cost for a Home mover, £300,000 property, England
£5,000 stamp duty + £1,800 solicitor + £700 survey + £1,400 removals
What changed in April 2025
The most significant shift in UK property transaction costs in recent years took effect on 1 April 2025, when the temporary Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) thresholds introduced in 2022 expired. For first-time buyers in England, the nil-rate threshold dropped from £425,000 back to £300,000 — meaning a first-time buyer purchasing at £385,000 now pays £4,250 in stamp duty, where previously they would have paid nothing.
For home movers (standard residential purchases), the nil-rate band also dropped from £250,000 back to £125,000, effectively raising the stamp duty bill on a £300,000 purchase from £2,500 to £5,000. Combined with the additional property surcharge rising to 5% in October 2024, buy-to-let investors now face stamp duty bills approximately 20–30% higher than they did in 2022.
Cost breakdown by property price
All figures are for England. Scotland uses LBTT and Wales uses LTT — see the regional section below for indicative totals.
| Cost component | £200,000 | £300,000 | £400,000 | £500,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stamp Duty (home mover, England)SDLT rates effective April 2025. 0% ≤£125k, 2% £125k–£250k, 5% £250k–£925k. | £1,500 | £5,000 | £10,000 | £15,000 |
| Stamp Duty (first-time buyer, England)FTB threshold reset to £300k from April 2025. 0% ≤£300k, 5% £300k–£500k. | £0 | £0 | £5,000 | £10,000 |
| Stamp Duty (additional property, England)5% surcharge applies on top of standard SDLT from October 2024. | £11,500 | £20,000 | £30,000 | £40,000 |
| Solicitor / conveyancing fees (buyer)Source: Conveyancing Association fee survey 2025. | £1,000–£1,500 | £1,200–£2,000 | £1,400–£2,500 | £1,600–£3,000 |
| Survey (RICS Level 2 HomeBuyer Report)Source: RICS Building Surveying faculty guidance 2025. | £400–£600 | £500–£750 | £600–£900 | £700–£1,100 |
| Removals (professional)Source: British Association of Removers indicative rates 2025. | £800–£1,500 | £800–£1,500 | £1,200–£2,000 | £1,500–£2,500 |
| Mortgage arrangement feeMany lenders offer fee-free products; some charge up to £1,000 added to loan. | £0–£1,000 | £0–£1,000 | £0–£1,000 | £0–£1,000 |
| Land Registry fee (electronic registration)HMLR fee schedule April 2023. £200k–£500k band: £330. | £230 | £330 | £330 | £330 |
Year-on-year change at £300,000
Home mover scenario, England. Illustrates the impact of the April 2025 SDLT threshold reset.
| Year | Stamp Duty | Solicitor | Survey | Removals | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024FTB threshold was £425k. Standard 2% band up to £250k, 5% above. | £2,500 | £1,700 | £650 | £1,300 | £6,150 |
| 2025 (pre-April)Rates unchanged from 2024. | £2,500 | £1,750 | £670 | £1,350 | £6,270 |
| 2025 (post-April)FTB threshold reset to £300k. Home mover SDLT at £300k rose from £2,500 to £5,000. | £5,000 | £1,800 | £700 | £1,400 | £8,900 |
Total moving cost by UK region
Home mover scenario at each region's median house price (ONS UK House Price Index, approximate Jan 2026). Includes stamp duty, solicitor fees, survey, and removals.
| Region | Median price | Stamp duty | Solicitor | Survey | Removals | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | £510,000 | £15,500 | £2,500 | £900 | £2,000 | £21,230 |
| South East | £380,000 | £8,000 | £2,000 | £750 | £1,500 | £12,580 |
| East of England | £320,000 | £6,000 | £1,800 | £700 | £1,400 | £10,230 |
| South West | £310,000 | £5,500 | £1,700 | £650 | £1,300 | £9,480 |
| West Midlands | £250,000 | £2,500 | £1,500 | £600 | £1,200 | £6,130 |
| East Midlands | £245,000 | £2,250 | £1,500 | £580 | £1,150 | £5,810 |
| Yorkshire | £210,000 | £1,700 | £1,400 | £550 | £1,100 | £5,080 |
| North West | £220,000 | £1,900 | £1,400 | £550 | £1,100 | £5,280 |
| North East | £170,000 | £900 | £1,200 | £500 | £1,000 | £3,930 |
| Scotland (LBTT) | £190,000 | £1,100 | £1,500 | £550 | £1,100 | £4,580 |
| Wales (LTT) | £220,000 | £1,650 | £1,500 | £600 | £1,200 | £5,280 |
Calculate your own costs
These figures are indicative averages. Use our free calculator for your specific purchase price, buyer type, and region — including first-time buyer, home mover, buy-to-let, and Scottish / Welsh tax scenarios.
Open the calculator →Methodology & data sources
- Stamp Duty Land Tax (England): HMRC SDLT rate tables, effective April 2025.
- Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (Scotland): Revenue Scotland LBTT tables.
- Land Transaction Tax (Wales): Welsh Revenue Authority LTT rates.
- Land Registry fees: HMLR fee schedule, April 2023.
- Solicitor / conveyancing fees: Conveyancing Association indicative fee survey, 2025.
- Survey costs: RICS Building Surveying faculty guidance, 2025.
- Removals costs: British Association of Removers indicative rates, 2025.
- Median house prices: ONS UK House Price Index, January 2026 release (approximate regional figures).
Cite this report
Plain text:
HomeThink (2026). The True Cost of Moving House in the UK in 2026. Retrieved from https://www.homethink.co.uk/reports/moving-costs-2026
HTML link:
<a href="https://www.homethink.co.uk/reports/moving-costs-2026">True Cost of Moving House UK 2026 — HomeThink</a>