Stamp Duty Calculator UK
Calculate how much Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) you will pay on a property purchase in England or Northern Ireland.
Property details
What happens to my data?
Total stamp duty
£5,000
Effective rate
1.67%
Band breakdown
How your stamp duty is calculated across each band
| From | To | Rate | Duty |
|---|---|---|---|
| £0 | £125,000 | 0% | £0 |
| £125,000 | £250,000 | 2% | £2,500 |
| £250,000 | £925,000 | 5% | £2,500 |
| £925,000 | £1,500,000 | 10% | £0 |
| £1,500,000 | £1,500,000+ | 12% | £0 |
| Total | £5,000 | ||
Applies to England and Northern Ireland. Scotland and Wales have separate systems (LBTT and LTT respectively). Rates shown are the residential SDLT bands that have applied since 1 April 2025.
What is Stamp Duty (SDLT)?
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is a tax HMRC charges on most residential property purchases in England and Northern Ireland above the zero-rate threshold. It is paid by the buyer, not the seller, and is due to HMRC within 14 days of completion. Scotland operates Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) instead; Wales operates Land Transaction Tax (LTT). The rates on this page only apply south of the border and east of the Severn.
SDLT is a "slice" tax, not a "slab" tax. You pay the rate for each band only on the portion of the purchase price that falls inside that band, not the whole price. A buyer purchasing at £400,000 does not pay 5% on the full £400,000; they pay 0% on the first £125,000, 2% on the next £125,000, and 5% only on the £150,000 in the third band. The calculator above shows the band-by-band breakdown for any price you enter.
SDLT rates and bands from 1 April 2025
The current bands took effect on 1 April 2025 when the temporary thresholds introduced in the 2022 mini-Budget reverted to their pre-2022 levels. If you completed before that date, the rates that applied to your purchase were the older, more generous ones; HMRC does not retroactively change a settled transaction.
| Portion of property price | SDLT rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £125,000 | 0% |
| £125,001 to £250,000 | 2% |
| £250,001 to £925,000 | 5% |
| £925,001 to £1,500,000 | 10% |
| Above £1,500,000 | 12% |
First-time buyer relief
A first-time buyer for SDLT purposes is someone who has never owned a freehold or leasehold interest in a residential property anywhere in the world, intends to live in the property as their main residence, and is purchasing for £500,000 or less. Both buyers on a joint purchase must qualify for the relief to apply.
| Portion of property price | SDLT rate (FTB) |
|---|---|
| Up to £300,000 | 0% |
| £300,001 to £500,000 | 5% |
| No relief is available on purchases above £500,000. | |
The relief is structurally generous: it is one of the few points in the UK property tax system where first-time buyers get a meaningful break compared with owners of multiple homes. A first-time buyer purchasing at £400,000 pays £5,000 SDLT compared with the £7,500 a non-first-time buyer would owe on the same purchase, and the relief disappears the moment the price ticks above £500,000.
Additional property surcharge
If you already own a residential property anywhere in the world and you buy another one in England or Northern Ireland, an extra 5% surcharge applies on top of the standard SDLT rates. The surcharge applies to the whole purchase price, not just the portion above a threshold. It was raised from 3% to 5% in the Autumn Budget on 30 October 2024 and the new rate applies to completions from 31 October 2024 onwards.
The surcharge captures buy-to-let purchases, second homes, holiday homes, and companies buying residential property. It does not apply if you are replacing your main residence (selling one home and buying another) provided the sale and purchase complete within three years of each other. The policy intent is to make residential property meaningfully more expensive when bought as an investment than when bought to live in, which tilts the playing field toward owner-occupiers and away from portfolio landlords.
Worked examples
£350,000 home, non-first-time buyer, main residence
- £0 - £125,000 at 0% = £0
- £125,000 - £250,000 at 2% = £2,500
- £250,000 - £350,000 at 5% = £5,000
- Total SDLT: £7,500 (effective rate 2.14%)
£400,000 home, first-time buyer
- £0 - £300,000 at 0% = £0
- £300,000 - £400,000 at 5% = £5,000
- Total SDLT: £5,000 (effective rate 1.25%)
- Saving vs a non-first-time buyer: £2,500
£350,000 home, buy-to-let or second home
- Standard SDLT (as above): £7,500
- 5% surcharge on full £350,000: £17,500
- Total SDLT: £25,000 (effective rate 7.14%)
- The surcharge more than triples the bill compared to a main residence purchase at the same price.
When do you pay SDLT?
SDLT is due within 14 days of the effective date of the transaction, which is normally completion. Your solicitor or conveyancer almost always handles the SDLT return and payment on your behalf as part of the conveyancing process. The money is taken from the funds they hold for you; you do not need to separately remit it to HMRC.
SDLT is not lendable. Lenders will not include it in your mortgage. You need the SDLT amount as cash in your deposit account alongside your deposit and other completion costs. Forgetting to budget for it is a common buyer oversight at offer stage.
Frequently asked questions
How much is stamp duty on a £300,000 house in the UK?
Do first-time buyers pay stamp duty?
When do you have to pay stamp duty?
Is stamp duty included in your mortgage?
What is the additional property surcharge on stamp duty?
Do you pay stamp duty in Scotland and Wales?
How is stamp duty calculated in the UK?
Can I avoid stamp duty by buying through a limited company?
Related reading
The complete guide
Stamp Duty Calculator UK: How Much Will You Pay?
Stamp Duty Calculator UK guide: 2026/27 SDLT bands, first-time buyer relief, the second-home surcharge, and worked examples for every typical purchase.
For many UK property buyers, Stamp Duty Land Tax is one of the largest single transaction costs in the move, often more than legal fees, surveyor reports, and removal costs combined. Get it wrong and you can budget tens of thousands too low for a purchase. The good news is that the calculation itself is mechanical: the stamp duty calculator does it in seconds once you have your purchase price and a few details about your situation.
This guide walks through the 2026/27 SDLT rates, the first-time buyer relief, the second-home surcharge, and worked examples for the typical purchase scenarios.
Contents
- How Stamp Duty works
- SDLT bands for 2026/27
- First-time buyer relief
- The second-home surcharge
- Worked examples
- Scotland and Wales: different systems
How Stamp Duty Works
SDLT is a tax on property transactions in England and Northern Ireland. It is paid by the buyer, due 14 days after completion, and usually handled automatically by your solicitor or conveyancer. The tax applies in bands - you pay each band's rate only on the portion of the purchase price within that band, similar to income tax.
A £400,000 purchase does not get taxed at one rate on the full £400,000. The first £125,000 is taxed at 0%, the next £125,000 at 2%, and the remaining £150,000 at 5%. The total is the sum of those slices, not a single rate applied to the whole price.
SDLT Bands for 2026/27
Standard rates for a single home, no first-time buyer relief, no surcharge:
| Band | Rate |
|---|---|
| £0 - £125,000 | 0% |
| £125,001 - £250,000 | 2% |
| £250,001 - £925,000 | 5% |
| £925,001 - £1,500,000 | 10% |
| Above £1,500,000 | 12% |
The £125,000 nil-rate threshold has been at this level since 2014, with the 2022 stamp duty holiday and 2024 reform reverting the band to its long-running default. There is no current government plan to raise it.
First-Time Buyer Relief
If you have never owned a property anywhere in the world (not just the UK), and the property you are buying is for your main home, First-Time Buyer Relief applies on properties up to £500,000.
First-time buyer rates:
| Band | Rate |
|---|---|
| £0 - £300,000 | 0% |
| £300,001 - £500,000 | 5% |
| Above £500,000 | No relief - standard rates apply on the whole price |
The cliff at £500,000 is brutal. A first-time buyer purchasing for £499,999 pays £9,999 of SDLT. The same buyer purchasing for £500,001 pays £15,000 (the standard rates apply to the full price - they do not start at £125k with relief above). One pound makes £5,000 of difference. If you are close to that line, it is worth modelling what a slightly lower offer would save you before committing.
Both buyers in a joint purchase must qualify as first-time buyers for the relief to apply. If one party has previously owned (even abroad, or even briefly), no relief is available.
The Second-Home Surcharge
When you buy a property and you (or your spouse) already own another property anywhere in the world, you pay a 5% surcharge on top of the standard rates.
The surcharge applies to:
- Buy-to-let purchases
- Holiday homes
- Second main residences (e.g. a city flat for the working week)
- Properties bought through a limited company
The surcharge does not apply if:
- You are replacing your main residence (selling one and buying another, even if there is a gap in timing - you can claim the surcharge back if you sell the old home within 3 years of buying the new)
- The property is below £40,000
The 5% rate has been in place since October 2024, raised from 3%. It is one of the largest single additions to the cost of buy-to-let in 2026 and changes the maths on second properties significantly.
Worked Examples
Example 1: First-time buyer at £450,000
- £0 - £300,000: 0% = £0
- £300,001 - £450,000: 5% × £150,000 = £7,500
- Total SDLT: £7,500
Example 2: Standard purchase at £450,000
- £0 - £125,000: 0% = £0
- £125,001 - £250,000: 2% × £125,000 = £2,500
- £250,001 - £450,000: 5% × £200,000 = £10,000
- Total SDLT: £12,500
Example 3: Buy-to-let at £250,000 (5% surcharge)
- £0 - £125,000: 5% × £125,000 = £6,250
- £125,001 - £250,000: 7% × £125,000 = £8,750
- Total SDLT: £15,000 (6% effective rate)
Example 4: Main residence move at £750,000 (no surcharge if replacing)
- £0 - £125,000: 0% = £0
- £125,001 - £250,000: 2% × £125,000 = £2,500
- £250,001 - £750,000: 5% × £500,000 = £25,000
- Total SDLT: £27,500
Example 5: First-time buyer at £510,000 (no relief, the cliff edge)
- Same calculation as Example 2 but on £510,000
- Total SDLT: £15,500
- Same buyer at £499,000 would pay £9,950 - £5,550 cheaper for an £11,000 lower price
Scotland and Wales: Different Systems
England and Northern Ireland use SDLT. Scotland and Wales have their own equivalent taxes:
- Scotland: Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT). Different bands, different thresholds, generally less generous on lower-value properties and more generous at the very top.
- Wales: Land Transaction Tax (LTT). Similar structure, with no LTT below £225,000 for residential purchases.
If you are buying in Scotland or Wales, the stamp duty calculator is for England and Northern Ireland. Use the equivalent Scottish or Welsh calculator on Revenue Scotland or the Welsh Revenue Authority sites.
Important: Not Financial Advice
This calculator is provided for educational and illustrative purposes only. Freedom Isn't Free is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and does not provide financial advice, investment recommendations, or tax guidance.
The projections shown are hypothetical, assume a constant rate of return, and do not account for inflation, taxes, or fees. Actual investment returns vary and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.
Before making any financial decisions, please consult with an independent financial adviser regulated by the FCA. For help finding an adviser, visit MoneyHelper or Unbiased.
Where links to financial products appear on this page, some may be affiliate links. See our full disclaimer for details.
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