TL;DR: "How much to..." is the most common opening of a UK cost-of-living search. The right answer almost always depends on which version of the question is being asked: how much to set up a limited company (12 pounds online via Companies House), how much to retire on (the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association's Retirement Living Standards put a "moderate" single retirement at around 31,300 pounds a year and a couple at around 43,100 pounds for 2025-26), how much to save for a house deposit (typically 5 to 20 percent of the property price, plus stamp duty, conveyancing and survey costs), or how much to put into a pension or ISA each year (capped by the annual allowances). This guide summarises the most-searched "how much to" questions with current UK figures and points to the primary sources for each.
Last reviewed May 2026
"How much to" is a generic phrase, but in UK personal-finance search it almost always belongs to one of a handful of specific questions: how much to set up a limited company, how much to retire on, how much to save for a house deposit, how much to put into a pension, how much to contribute to an ISA, and how much to claim back from HMRC after overpaying tax. The figures change with each tax year and with the relevant government fee.
This guide collects the most common "how much to" questions UK readers search for and gives the current authoritative figure for each, with a link to the primary source. The aim is to be a single fast reference, not a deep dive on any one topic - each section flags where to read in more detail.
How much to set up a limited company in the UK
The Companies House fee to incorporate a private limited company online is 50 pounds for standard registration. The fee for paper incorporation (form IN01) is higher, and same-day digital incorporation is no longer available as a separate paid service since the Companies House fee schedule was revised in May 2024.
That is the only mandatory cost of incorporation. Add-ons that are not strictly required but are commonly bought: a registered-office service from an accountant or formation agent (around 30 to 100 pounds a year), a professional formation agent's bundled service (often 50 to 200 pounds covering filing plus PSC register plus first-year fees), and a business bank account opening fee (typically zero for the main UK challenger banks).
Ongoing annual costs include the Companies House confirmation statement fee (34 pounds online, 62 pounds paper), corporation tax filing (no fee, but an accountant typically charges 600 to 1,500 pounds a year for a small-company set), and VAT registration if turnover exceeds the threshold (no fee).
How much to retire on
There is no single "right" number. The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) publishes Retirement Living Standards, updated annually, that translate retirement income into three lifestyle tiers: minimum (covers essentials), moderate (one foreign holiday a year, a small car), and comfortable (longer holidays, eating out frequently).
For 2025-26 the PLSA standards (outside London) are: minimum 14,400 pounds a year for a single person and 22,400 pounds for a couple; moderate 31,300 pounds single and 43,100 pounds couple; comfortable 43,100 pounds single and 59,000 pounds couple. London figures are higher. The full new State Pension provides 11,973 pounds a year (2025-26, 230.25 pounds a week), which is just below the minimum standard for a single retiree.
A rough rule of thumb for the pension pot needed at retirement is to divide the desired income (after State Pension) by a safe withdrawal rate of 3.5 to 4 percent. A single retiree wanting a moderate standard would need around 480,000 pounds in private pension (31,300 - 11,973 = 19,327 income gap / 0.04 = 483,175). The 4 percent rule is a US-derived heuristic and the right number for any individual depends on inflation, investment mix, longevity assumptions, and whether a guaranteed annuity or drawdown is being used.
How much to save for a house deposit
UK lenders typically require a deposit of at least 5 percent of the property price for a first-time buyer, with 10 percent and 15 percent deposits opening access to better rates and more product choice. The average first-time buyer deposit reported in UK Finance and Office for National Statistics data has been higher than the minimum for several years because lender criteria and stress-test rates have tightened.
For a 250,000-pound property, a 5 percent deposit is 12,500 pounds, a 10 percent deposit is 25,000 pounds, and a 20 percent deposit is 50,000 pounds. On top of the deposit, the buyer needs solicitor fees (typically 1,000 to 2,000 pounds plus disbursements), a survey (250 to 600 pounds for a basic homebuyer report, more for a full structural), mortgage arrangement and valuation fees, and stamp duty if the price is above the threshold.
First-time buyers in England and Northern Ireland pay no stamp duty on the first 425,000 pounds of a property up to 625,000 pounds (the threshold and rates are reviewed by the Treasury periodically and are due to revert at the dates set by current legislation). Scotland and Wales use their own systems: Land and Buildings Transaction Tax in Scotland and Land Transaction Tax in Wales.
How much to put into a pension each year
The pension annual allowance is 60,000 pounds for the 2026-27 tax year (set by the Finance (No.2) Act 2023). Contributions above the annual allowance suffer a tax charge that effectively claws back the income tax relief.
For very high earners, the annual allowance tapers down by 1 pound for every 2 pounds of adjusted income above 260,000 pounds, down to a minimum tapered allowance of 10,000 pounds for adjusted income above 360,000 pounds. The Money Purchase Annual Allowance (MPAA) caps contributions at 10,000 pounds a year for anyone who has already flexibly accessed a pension.
Unused annual allowance from the previous three tax years can be carried forward, provided the member was in a registered pension scheme for those years. This is particularly useful after a redundancy or a bonus year. Tax relief on the contribution is at the contributor's marginal rate (20 percent basic, 40 percent higher, 45 percent additional, with Scottish rates slightly different), claimed automatically on workplace schemes and through self-assessment for higher-rate top-up.
How much to put into an ISA each year
The total ISA subscription allowance is 20,000 pounds per tax year (2026-27). The allowance can be split across cash ISAs, stocks and shares ISAs, innovative finance ISAs, and Lifetime ISAs - subject to the Lifetime ISA sub-limit of 4,000 pounds a year (which counts towards the overall 20,000-pound limit).
Unused ISA allowance does not roll over: subscriptions not used by 5 April are lost. From the 2024-25 tax year onwards, savers can pay into multiple ISAs of the same type in the same tax year (apart from the Lifetime ISA and the Junior ISA), and partial transfers of current-year subscriptions are permitted.
The Junior ISA allowance is 9,000 pounds per child per tax year. Help to Buy ISAs are closed to new accounts but existing holders can continue contributing under the original rules until December 2030.
How much to claim back from HMRC for overpaid tax
The amount reclaimable depends on the reason for the overpayment: an emergency tax code applied during a new starter period, an incorrect pension flexible access lump sum tax code, an overpaid PAYE balance reconciled through a P800, work-from-home expenses, or marriage allowance carried back to earlier years.
The standard time limit for claiming a refund is four tax years after the end of the year in question, so a claim made in 2026-27 can go back as far as the 2022-23 tax year. Marriage allowance claims can be backdated up to four tax years for a couple who were eligible but did not claim. Refunds are paid by bank transfer through the personal tax account or by cheque if requested.
How we verified this
Companies House fees reflect the current fee schedule on GOV.UK as revised in 2024. The PLSA Retirement Living Standards 2025-26 figures reflect the published research on the PLSA website. State Pension figures reflect current GOV.UK guidance. Stamp duty, LBTT and LTT thresholds reflect current legislation (Finance Act schedules and Scottish and Welsh statutory instruments). Pension annual allowance and ISA subscription figures reflect HMRC guidance for the current tax year. No specific lender criteria, fees or product rates have been invented; the figures are either set by legislation, published by HMRC or Companies House, or described in ranges rather than as specific numbers.
Disclaimer: This article is a general summary of common UK "how much to" cost questions. It is not personal financial, legal or tax advice. Government fees, tax thresholds and pension allowances are revised periodically and the figures should be reconfirmed at the linked primary source before acting. Individual circumstances (Scottish residence, income level, employer scheme, property location) materially affect the right answer.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to set up a limited company?
The Companies House fee for online incorporation is 50 pounds. That is the only mandatory cost. Optional add-ons include a registered office service (30 to 100 pounds a year), a formation agent's bundled service (50 to 200 pounds), and an accountant for ongoing compliance (typically 600 to 1,500 pounds a year for a small company).
How much do I need to retire comfortably in the UK?
The PLSA Retirement Living Standards put a "moderate" single retirement at around 31,300 pounds a year and a comfortable single retirement at around 43,100 pounds a year for 2025-26. After deducting the full new State Pension (11,973 pounds), a private pension or ISA pot of roughly 480,000 pounds (moderate) or 780,000 pounds (comfortable) under a 4 percent withdrawal rate would generate the gap. The exact number depends on individual circumstances.
How much deposit do I need for a UK mortgage?
The minimum first-time buyer deposit is typically 5 percent of the property price, but 10 percent and 15 percent deposits open access to better rates. On top of the deposit, budget for solicitor fees (1,000 to 2,000 pounds), a survey (250 to 600 pounds for a homebuyer report), mortgage arrangement and valuation fees, and stamp duty if applicable.
How much can I put into a pension each year?
The pension annual allowance is 60,000 pounds for 2026-27, tapered down for very high earners and capped at 10,000 pounds (the Money Purchase Annual Allowance) for anyone who has flexibly accessed a pension. Unused allowance from the previous three tax years can be carried forward, and tax relief applies at the contributor's marginal rate.
How much can I put into an ISA each year?
The total ISA subscription allowance is 20,000 pounds per tax year. The allowance can be split across cash, stocks and shares, innovative finance, and Lifetime ISAs, with the Lifetime ISA sub-limited to 4,000 pounds a year. Junior ISA allowance is 9,000 pounds per child per tax year. Unused allowance does not carry forward.
