How Much Deposit for a £400,000 House UK (2026 Guide)

For a £400,000 house, you’ll need a minimum deposit of £20,000 (5%), though £40,000-£80,000 (10-20%) is strongly recommended at this price point.

Deposit Options for £400K House

Deposit % Amount Mortgage Best Rate Tier
5% £20,000 £380,000 Higher rates (~5.5%)
10% £40,000 £360,000 Good rates (~4.5%)
15% £60,000 £340,000 Better rates (~4.2%)
20% £80,000 £320,000 Best rates (~4.0%)

Monthly Payments by Deposit Size

Deposit Mortgage Monthly Payment (25yr) Rate
5% (£20K) £380,000 £2,339 5.5%
10% (£40K) £360,000 £2,004 4.5%
15% (£60K) £340,000 £1,840 4.2%
20% (£80K) £320,000 £1,690 4.0%

A 20% deposit saves £649/month compared to 5%.

Total Upfront Costs

Cost 5% Deposit 10% Deposit 20% Deposit
Deposit £20,000 £40,000 £80,000
Stamp duty (FTB) £5,000 £5,000 £5,000
Stamp duty (mover) £10,000 £10,000 £10,000
Solicitor £2,000 £2,000 £2,000
Survey £700 £700 £700
Arrangement fee £999 £999 £999
FTB Total £28,699 £48,699 £88,699

Income Required

Deposit % Mortgage Income Needed (4.5x)
5% £380,000 £84,444
10% £360,000 £80,000
15% £340,000 £75,556
20% £320,000 £71,111

Joint Buyer Options

Deposit Mortgage Single Income (4.5x) Joint Option
10% £360,000 £80,000 £45K + £35K
15% £340,000 £75,556 £42K + £33K
20% £320,000 £71,111 £40K + £31K

Saving for Your Deposit

Monthly Savings Time to £40K Time to £80K
£800 4.2 years 8.3 years
£1,000 3.3 years 6.7 years
£1,500 2.2 years 4.4 years
£2,000 1.7 years 3.3 years

Affordability Reality Check

On £85,000 salary (£4,545/month take-home):

Expense 5% Deposit 10% Deposit 20% Deposit
Mortgage £2,339 (51%) £2,004 (44%) £1,690 (37%)
Other housing £400 (9%) £400 (9%) £400 (9%)
Housing % 60% 53% 46%

At this price point, aim for at least 10% deposit for manageable payments.

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