Stamp duty calculator
SDLT and LTT for 2025/26 — main rates, first-time buyer relief, surcharges.
2025/26 residential rates for England & NI (SDLT) and Wales (LTT); Welsh higher rates shown as a +5pp approximation. Scotland (LBTT) differs. Illustration only, not tax advice — edge cases (six-plus dwellings, mixed use, replacing a main residence) change the answer.
Stamp duty is banded, like income tax: you pay each rate only on the slice of the price inside that band, not the top rate on the whole amount. In England and Northern Ireland, SDLT for 2025/26 charges 0% on the first £125,000, 2% from £125,001 to £250,000, 5% from £250,001 to £925,000, 10% from £925,001 to £1.5m and 12% above. A £300,000 main home therefore costs £5,000: nothing on the first £125,000, £2,500 on the next £125,000, £2,500 on the final £50,000.
First-time buyers in England get real relief: 0% up to £300,000 and 5% on the portion from £300,001 to £500,000 — so £0 on a £300,000 first home and £7,500 on a £450,000 one. The relief vanishes entirely above £500,000 (you pay standard rates on the whole price), and on a joint purchase every buyer must be a first-time buyer to qualify. These thresholds fell in April 2025 from the temporarily higher 2022 levels, which is why older articles quote bigger numbers.
Wales runs its own tax — Land Transaction Tax — with different bands and no first-time buyer relief: 0% to £225,000, then 6% to £400,000, 7.5% to £750,000, 10% to £1.5m and 12% above. The same £300,000 home costs £4,500 in Wales. Scotland has its own tax again (LBTT), which this calculator does not cover.
The surcharges are where budgets get wrecked. Buying an additional property in England — a second home or buy-to-let, or completing on a new home before selling your old one — adds 5 percentage points to every band: £20,000 on that £300,000 example instead of £5,000. Non-UK residents pay a further 2 points on top. Wales applies its own higher rates to additional properties. If you pay the additional-property surcharge because you haven’t yet sold your previous main home, you can reclaim it by selling within three years. The tax is due within 14 days of completion; in practice your conveyancer files and pays it from completion funds.
Common questions
How much is stamp duty on a £300,000 house?
In England (2025/26): £5,000 for a home mover, £0 for a first-time buyer, £20,000 if it’s an additional property. In Wales: £4,500 under LTT, with no first-time buyer discount. The banded structure means each figure is built slice by slice, which the calculator shows in full.
What is first-time buyer stamp duty relief in 2025/26?
In England and Northern Ireland: 0% up to £300,000, 5% on the portion between £300,001 and £500,000. Above £500,000 the relief disappears completely and standard rates apply to the whole price. Everyone buying must be a genuine first-time buyer — never owned property anywhere in the world. Wales offers no equivalent relief.
How much extra is stamp duty on a second home or buy-to-let?
In England, 5 percentage points on every band — so a £200,000 buy-to-let costs £11,500 instead of £1,500. It applies whenever you end up owning two or more properties at completion, including bridging between homes; sell your previous main residence within 3 years and you can reclaim the surcharge. Wales charges its own higher LTT rates on additional properties.
When do I actually pay stamp duty?
Within 14 days of completion, via an SDLT return to HMRC (or an LTT return to the Welsh Revenue Authority). In practice your conveyancer prepares the return and takes the money as part of completion funds, so budget for it as day-one cash — it cannot normally be added to the mortgage.
Is stamp duty different in Wales and Scotland?
Yes. Wales charges Land Transaction Tax: 0% to £225,000, 6% to £400,000, 7.5% to £750,000, 10% to £1.5m, 12% above — cheaper than England below about £345,000 for movers, but with no first-time buyer relief. Scotland charges LBTT on different bands again; this calculator covers England/NI and Wales.
Numbers are half the story. Check the home itself.
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